JDS’ Kumaraswamy Accepts Congress Support, Writes To Karnataka Governor

BENGALURU, KARNATAKA: In a stunning twist to the Karnataka election, the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) today said it will form government with Congress support, after the BJP fell short of an outright majority. The Congress quickly arrived at an understanding with former prime minister Deve Gowda’ regional party and agreed that his son HD Kumaraswamy will be the Chief Minister of a coalition government and that the Congress will get to name a Dalit leader as his deputy. The BJP, not giving up, has sent its own leaders to Bengaluru to reach out to the JDS. After a meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah, ministers Prakash Javadekar, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan rushed to Karnataka. What happens next depends entirely on the governor of the state, Vajubhai Vala, who was appointed by the centre four years ago.

Karnataka has 224 seats; the BJP has 106, five short of a clear majority. The Congress has 76 and Deve Gowda’s JDS has 38.
The Congress phoned Deve Gowda this afternoon and allegedly reached this deal: his son, HD Kumaraswamy, will be Chief Minister of a coalition government and the Congress will get to name a Dalit leader as his deputy.
Mr Gowda will reportedly stake claim to form the government at 5.30 this evening. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “We have had a telephonic talk with Deve Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy and they have accepted it. Whoever JDS will decide, will head the government and then we will go to governor and give this in writing.”
It is up to Governor Vala now to decide who will get first shot at proving their strength – the BJP or the Congress-Gowda team.The Congress and the JDS were unable to enter a partnership ahead of the election results in Karnataka.
The BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa alleged that the Congress was trying to grab the power through “back door”. “Karnataka has given the mandate of Congress free Karnataka. The Congress is trying to come back to power and people of Karnataka will not tolerate,” he said.
The Congress’ Chief Minister who was voted out today, Siddaramaiah, split from the JDS over a decade ago and the acrimony between him and Mr Gowda remains unmitigated.
However, as a series of opinion and exit polls forecast a fractured election result, the Congress made it clear that it would be open to sacrificing Mr Siddaramaiah if needed to team with the JDS.
Mr Siddaramaiah himself appeared to have accepted his being turfed out, stating that this was his last election and that he would accept his party’s decision to replace him with a Dalit as head of the state if needed.
The BJP says that as the party with the most seats, it must get first crack at forming the government. The role of two independent elected candidates will be crucial.
BJP chief Amit Shah has a solid track record in ensuring the BJP forms the government in states where the result has been fractured – like Goa.