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Dubbing the BJP performance in Karnataka as “extraordinary”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the state’s people gave a befitting reply to the Congress.

Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters here, Modi took a dig at the Congress, saying that a perception was created by the party which ruled the country for so many years that the “BJP is a party only of Hindi-speaking states”.

“Are Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, and northeast states Hindi-speaking states? No, the BJP represents whole of India. The people of Karnataka gave a befitting reply to those who tried to create such a perception and spread misinformation about us,” said Modi.

The Prime Minister said a perception was also created that language was a barrier for him in Karnataka.

“There was no barrier between the people of Karnataka and me. Language was never a barrier for me. I will always cherish the affection I received from them.

“This kind of politics is very harmful for the country.”

Attacking the Congress, Modi said that “No one could have imagined that in this election, Congress would indulge in activities that would hurt India’s constitution only for its political interests.”

He also said that it had come to light that the ruling party (Congress) in Karnataka resorted to various other routes to “murder democracy”.

“I want to thank the people of Karnataka and also our party ‘karyakartas’. They have worked so hard in the elections. Our national President Amit Shah ji also worked very hard and has proved that hard work always pays,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that the BJP will not lag behind in ensuring a bright future for Karnataka. “I assure the people of Karnataka that we will always work for its people,” said Modi.

Bengaluru: JD(S) leader H D Kumarswamy with outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state president G Parameshwara arrive to address the media after meeting Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan, in Bengaluru on May 15, 2018.
The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) is reconciled to accept Congress support to form the new government in Karnataka due to the JD-S’s commitment to secularism, a party leader said on Tuesday.

As party supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is committed to secularism and wants to work for the minorities, the JD-S would be comfortable in forming the new government in Karnataka with Congress support, JD-S Spokesman Ramesh Babu told IANS here.

“The Congress and BJP are both sides of the same coin and we wanted to maintain equidistance from both, but we are not keen on the BJP as its chief ministerial face B.S. Yeddyurappa went to jail on graft charges.”

“We have thus agreed to take Congress support to form the new government after a fractured verdict thrown up by the results,” he added.

Asked if it would be a JD-S-led coalition government, Babu said it was premature to say so, as the party’s core committee would decide on the form and structure of the government in consultation with the Congress.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, G. Parameshwara and Mallikarun Kharge are meeting Kumaraswamy to discuss the government formation,” added Babu.

Of the 222 constituencies where polling was held on May 12, the BJP won in 101 seats and was leading in three, while the Congress won 78 and JD-S won 37 seats.

JD-S ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has won one seat.

Elections in Raja Rajeshwari (RR) Nagar in Bengaluru southwest was postponed to May 28 and countermanded in Jayangar in Bengalur south following the death of BJP candidate and MLA B.N. Vijaya Kumar on May 4.

“Though the BJP has emerged as the single-largest party with 104 seats, it does not have the numbers to form the government, as it is still eight short of the halfway mark of 112,” Babu reasoned.

On the consent of JD-S supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Babu said the party’s state President H.D. Kumaraswamy had agreed to the Congress support ostensibly to keep the BJP out of power in the southern state.

“As JD-S and Congress have the numbers (38+78), which is over the 112 halfway mark, we should be allowed to form the government to prove majority on the floor of the house,” the JD-U leader said.

Hoping that the BJP would not do backdoor politics to regain power and respect the combined numbers the two parties have got, Babu said Kumaraswamy had agreed to the Congress offer, as the Supreme Court had allowed parties with majority to form a government if the single-largest party (BJP) did not have enough seats.

“Kumaraswamy said ahead of the elections that whichever party implements the JD-S manifesto would get its support in case of a hung verdict,” Babu said.

As a regional party, the JD-S has agreed to the Congress support to safeguard the state’s interests, especially of its farmers, women and the poor.

Kumaraswamy became the Chief Minister in February 2006 with BJP support and headed the first coalition government in the state for 20 months till October 2007.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday thanked people in Karnataka who had voted for the party in the assembly polls and said the party will fight for them.

In a tweet, he also thanked party workers for their dedication and hard work.

“A big thank you to all those who voted for the Congress in these elections. We appreciate your support and will fight for you. Thank you also to our workers and leaders for their dedication and untiring hard work in support of the party,” Gandhi said.

The assembly poll threw up a hung verdict with Congress winning 78 seats, 26 less than the BJP, though it polled a larger number of votes. The Janata Dal-Secular won 37 seats.

Gandhi had declared before the elections that Congress will win the assembly polls “hands down”.

The party’s tally saw a dip of 44 seats compared to the 2013 elections when it had won 122 seats.

With the results out, Karnataka Governor Valubhai Vala has granted appointments to the two claimants to power – BJP and the JD(S)-Congress combo to decide who finally emerges victorious in the Karnataka Assembly elections. BJP’s CM face BS Yedyurappa is at the Governor’s House for the meeting along with Ananth Kumar. He said he is happy with the verdict and will form the government as the BJP is the single largest party in Karnataka. JD(S)’s HD Kumaraswamy, who has been backed by the Congress to be CM, will meet the Governor at 5.30pm. HD Kumaraswamy had written a letter to the Governor, saying he has accepted the support from Congress, and would like to meet him between 5.30 and 6pm today. The Congress has said that if the Governor does not invite the JDS-Congress combo to form a government, they would move the court. The joint tally of the combo is 118, six clear of the halfway mark.

BJP’s chief ministerial face B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday mocked the Congress party for being “desperate” to grab power by exploring an alliance with Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) despite being “rejected” by the people of the state.

“The people of the state have rejected Congress and voted for a change. People are moving towards ‘Congress-mukt’ (Congress-free) Karnataka. Despite being rejected, Congress is desperate to grab power,” Yeddyurappa told reporters here.

Anti-incumbency against the ruling Congress government was so strong that outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself lost from Chamundeshwari seat in his home district of Mysuru, Yeddyurappa pointed out.

According to the Election Commission (EC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has so far won 85 seats and is leading in 19 of the 222 Legislative Assembly seats out of the total 224 constituencies in the state. The party is eight seats short of the 112 seats required to win a simple majority.

The BJP’s national leaders will decide on the party’s course of action in the event of a hung Assembly, Yeddyurappa said.

The Congress, on the other hand, has won in 58 seats and leading in 20.

Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media in the company of outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the JD-S had accepted the Congress offer of support.

“We will meet the Governor and stake claim (to form a government). Our numbers put together will be more than the BJP’s,” Azad said.

Outgoing Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday won the Badami Assembly seat in Bagalkot district but lost in Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.

According to results declared by the Election Commission, Siddaramaiah won in Badami by a narrow margin of 1,696 votes over BJP’s B. Sreeramulu.

He lost to Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) rival G.T. Deve Gowda in his home district of Mysuru by a huge margin of 36,042 votes.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah was reported to be trailing in both the constituencies.

In Badami, he led initially, but then fell behind Sriramulu. However, finally, he prevailed over his BJP rival.

In a dramatic turn of events after Karnataka delivered a hung Assembly, the Congress on Tuesday announced its backing to the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) to form a government to prevent the BJP from regaining power in its only southern bastion.

After the initial euphoria of the Bharatiya Janata Party crossing the half-way mark in the 224-member Assembly where two constituencies didn’t vote on Saturday, Election Commission data showed the BJP could end up with 104 seats.

This would be eight seats short of a simple majority in a House where no one else appeared ready to back the BJP.

The Congress, despite being bruised in an election it had hoped to win, was set to take 77 seats and the JD-S could be victorious in 38 constituencies — two short of its tally of 2013.
Independents and smaller parties would bag three seats.

As it became clear that the BJP might not cross the half-way mark, Congress leaders quickly got in touch with the JD-S of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media in the company of outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the JD-S had accepted the Congress offer of support.

“We will meet the Governor and stake claim (to form a government),” he said. “Our numbers put together will be more than the BJP’s.”

Informed sources said the JD-S could get the Chief Minister’s post in the event of a tie-up with the Congress.

But the BJP remained confident of taking power again in Karnataka. “We are confident of winning,” spokesman S. Shantharam told IANS.

The claim was echoed by other BJP leaders both in Bengaluru and New Delhi, where its Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa, who won from Shikaripura, was set to meet BJP President Amit Shah later on Tuesday.

But most of these claims were made before a hung Assembly prospect became real.

BJP activists and leaders earlier celebrated noisily in both Bengaluru and New Delhi, waving party flags and shouting slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their main vote-getter, and Amit Shah.

The BJP’s Chief Ministerial face B.S. Yeddyurappa was declared elected from Shikaripura.

Earlier, Energy Minister and Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar had conceded defeat as the vote count went in favour of the BJP.

BJP leader and Union Minister Sadanand Gowda said that there was no question of any alliance.

Expectations of a BJP victory in Karnataka lifted the key Indian equity indices during the mid-morning trade session on Tuesday. But the markets later went into the red.

Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy will be the party’s candidate for the Karnataka Chief Minister’s post, it announced on Tuesday after finishing third in the Assembly and getting the backing of the Congress.

“It is crystal clear that it will be Kumaraswamy for the Chief Minister’s post. With the blessings of the people of Karnataka, he will be the Chief Minister,” JD-S spokesperson Danish Ali told a news channel.

Asked if Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Valal can invite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the single largest party to form the government, he said: “How can (Governor call the BJP) when majority is there with the two parties?

“In Meghalaya, they didn’t invite the single largest party,” he said.

Asked if the post of Deputy Chief Minister will be offered to the Congress, Ali said the party will ask the Congress to join the government.

“All those details will be discussed later on. Both the parties have come together and we will provide a stable government,” he said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad earlier said it would back the JD-S to form the government following a hung Assembly.

The hung assembly thrown by Karnataka voters is heading towards a surprise result. While Bharatiya Janata Party has managed to emerge as the single largest party, the poll calculations indicate that Janata Dal-Secular’s HD Kumaraswamy may, after all, emerge as the ‘king’ and not ‘kingmaker’.

By 3 pm, BJP was leading on 108 seats, four short of a majority, while Congress was ahead on 73 and JD(S) was leading on 40. This puts JDS in unique indispensable position to control the poll verdict in Karnataka. Catch minute-to-minute updates on Karnataka Polls Verdict live on India TV

Having accepted its defeat in the polls early on, Congress has made one last attempt to keep BJP and its allies out of 21st state. Congress has reportedly given an unconditional support to JD(S) to form the government in the state. That entails that Siddaramaiah will give up his chief minister’s office to HD Kumaraswamy.

Here is all you need to know about the possible CM of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy

Born on December 19, 1959, HD Kumaraswamy is the youngest son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda.His full name is Haradanahalli Deve Gowda Kumaraswamy popularly known as “KumarAnna” by his friends and followers.

He was an eminent film producer, distributor and exhibitor of the Kannada film industry and produced hit films like Ghalate Aliyandru, Suryavamsha, Premotsava and the recent Chandra Chakori.

His first film was released in 2000. In 2002 he was elected as the President of the Karnataka Cinema Theatre Owners Association. He is the owner of a cinema theatre at Holenarasipura.On 13th March 1986 he married Anita at Palace Grounds, Bangalore and they have a son, Nikhil.

In 1996, when his father was the prime minister, HD Kumaraswamy won the Lok Sabha seat of Kanakapura, but he lost the seat in 1998 after his father’s regime was over.

Another disappointment in his career was in 1999 when he lost the Sathanur Assembly seat to his rival D K Shivakumar. Whereas in 2004 he was victorious from the Ramanagaram Assembly seat but not included in the ministry.

A great leap in his political career was when he was selected as the Working President of Janata Dal(Secular) party. Finally, he took advantage of the discontent among the party members and united forty-two MLAs of the Janata Dal (Secular) to form the government with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP).

Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister of Karnataka on February 3, 2006. As per Power-sharing agreement, Kumaraswamy supposed to transfer the power to BJP on October 3, 2007, but HD Kumaraswamy refused to transfer the power to BJP. Finally, Kumaraswamy tendered his resignation to Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

From October 9, Karnataka was put under President Rule till November 8, 2007. In 2008 Assembly elections, Kumaraswamy contested and won from Ramanagaram by defeating nearest rival candidate by more than 40000 votes, and succeeded getting support from only 28 JDS MLAs.

HD Kumaraswamy is also President of the Karnataka State Unit of the Janata Dhal (Secular) since 2009. HD Kumarswamy became more popular to people of Karnataka especially to rurala area people by Janatha Darshana and Grama Vaastavya programmes.