Karnataka polls: Congress, BJP begin infighting to form government

Hubli (IANS) | After most exit polls predicted a fractured mandate in Karnataka, both the major parties Congress and BJP have started infighting to form the government. BJP leaders told IANS that if they do not get a majority, they will try to break the elected Congress and JD(S) MLAs.

Although Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad also told IANS, Congress is not the old Congress of Karnataka. We have come a long way and horse trading of our MLAs is not possible.

Senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah asked AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. In touch with Venugopal.

Karnataka Congress leaders are upbeat about two bigwigs joining the party — former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Suvadi — leaving the BJP.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy said he would keep his MLAs together and would stake claim for the chief minister’s post.

The JD(S) leadership believes that had it not been for some internal issues, the party could have got more seats than predicted by the exit polls.

–IANS