Despite the Congress' alliance with the Janata Dal {Secular} (JD-S), which will give them the requisite majority in the Karnataka Assembly to form their government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B. S. Yeddyurappa, on Wednesday, suggested his party will claim to form the government.
"During the legislature party meeting, the leader will be elected. From there we will go to Raj Bhavan immediately. We will claim to form the government. Most probably we will ask the Governor to give us time tomorrow," said Yeddyurappa.
Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar also disapproved the Congress-JD-S alliance, saying that the people of Karnataka wanted a BJP government in the state.
"People want a BJP government and we will make it. Anyone can create unnatural tensions, but people of Karnataka are with us. After meeting, we will take necessary steps. This attempt made by Congress to make a backdoor entry is not appreciated," he said.
Sharing his thoughts on the alliance, BJP leader D.V. Sadananda Gowda said, "We are the single largest party. You have seen how the Congress and the JD-S were fighting, six months back. Now, they want to come together and make government."
The BJP had emerged as the frontrunner in the elections grabbing 104 seats. However, they fell just short of crossing the 112-seats mark required to form the government.
The Congress, with 78 seats in their kitty, was in the second position. Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda-led JD-S party was in third in those terms with 37 seats.
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Despite not grossing the majority of the seats, the Congress allied with the JD-S, offering the latter's H. D. Kumaraswamy the Chief Minister seat, which was accepted by them. The alliance now has enough seats to claim a majority stake in the Assembly seats and form the government, which looks like the most likely outcome now.
However, the final decision on the matter will be taken by the the Karnataka Governor, Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.