BJP leaders offered me ministry, says Cong’s Amaregouda Bayyapur

Bengaluru, May 16

Congress leader Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur revealed on Wednesday that he had received lucrative offers from the BJP to switch his allegiance for the latter.

However, despite offers of a seat in the State Ministry, Bayyapur said his fidelity would continue to lie with the Congress.

“I got a call from the BJP leaders. They said come to us and we will give a ministry to you. We’ll make you a minister. But, I’m going to stay here. HD Kumaraswamy is our Chief Minister,” said Bayyapur.

Earlier in the day, the outgoing Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, had also claimed that the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) leader, HD Kumaraswamy would be the next CM of the Congress-supported JD-S government in the state.

Siddaramaiah has also quashed rumours that a section of the MLAs of his party were unhappy over him joining hands with the JD-S, terming them as ‘baseless rumours’.

In the elections, the BJP claimed 104 seats, emerging as the single largest party, while the Congress, with 78 seats, was in the second position. HD Deve Gowda-led JD-S party was in third with 37 seats.

Apart from this, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party both won one seat each. Remaining one seat went to an Independent candidate.

Elections in Karnataka were held on 222 out of 224 seats, on May 12. Elections in two assembly constituencies had been deferred. A party or an alliance needs 112 seats to form the government in Karnataka.

As the results of the poll in the state have left the assembly hung, the final decision will be taken by Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala. ANI