Political blame game is in full swing amid a cliffhanger in the Karnataka Assembly election results. The leaders of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of horse trading. However the saffron party has refuted all such claims.
‘PM Modi Encouraging Horse Trading’: Siddaramaiah
Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of encouraging horse trading in an effort to outmanoeuvre the JD(S) and Congress from forming a government.
Narendra Modi is encouraging horse trading. We have 117 MLAs, the governor has to give (the first) opportunity (for forming the government) to us.Siddaramaiah
BJP Offering Rs 100 Crore Each to Our MLAs to Defect: HD Kumaraswamy
Earlier in the day, JD(S) party legislative head, HD Kumaraswamy had accused the BJP of poaching his party MLAs and offering them Rs 100 crore each as a bribe. He went on to question as to where all this “black money was coming from”, since the BJP claims to be “servers of poor people”.
Our MLAs were offered Rs 100 crore by the BJP to break away. I want to know whether this is black or white money.HD Kumaraswamy
"The JD(S)-Congress combine has 116 MLAs (including JD(S) pre-poll ally the BSP)... the BJP is trying to misuse its power being at the Centre and form its government through horse trading," he said.
However, Kumaraswamy said it is the prerogative of the governor to decide which party to invite first. He said "without the numbers how can they (BJP) form the government".
Replying to a question, he rejected outright the possibility of forming a coalition government with the BJP. "I am going to meet the governor with the state Congress president and formally stake claim to form the government," he said.
‘Horse Trading Allegations Baseless, Rs 100 Crore Figure Imaginary’: Prakash Javadekar
Calling the allegations baseless, Karnataka party in-charge Prakash Javadekar told PTI that the “Rs 100 crore figure is not only imaginary but it is what Congress-JD(S) do politics through. We are going by rules, we have submitted our claim to the governor, are confident of forming the government”.
BJP’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa also staked claim to form a government saying, “I requested Governor Vajubhai Vala to allow me to take oath as early as possible. We are 100 percent confident that he will take a decision immediately”, reported PTI.
Jockeying for power began in Karnataka after the fractured verdict in the Assembly polls, as BJP failed to reach the half-way mark, even though it emerged as the single-largest party with 104 seats in the 224-member House.
(With inputs from PTI)
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