Modi encouraging horse-trading in Karnataka: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, May 16

Karnataka’s outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of encouraging horse-trading to bring the BJP to power in the state.

He also asserted that Governor Vajubhai Vala had to invite the Janata Dal (S)-Congress combine to form a government as it enjoyed the support of 117 MLAs.

“The Governor has to give us an opportunity,” he said.

The Congress leader was talking to reporters after a meeting of the Legislature Party.

“Narendra Modi is encouraging horse-trading,” he added.

Siddaramaiah dismissed reports about dissent among Congress MLAs over supporting the JD (S). “We are all united,” he said.

The May 12 Assembly election has thrown up a fractured verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats in the 224-member house, falling eight seats short of the 112 needed to form a government in the state.

The Congress won 78 seats and the JD (S) 37.

Polling was held for 222 of the 224 Assembly seats after voting was deferred for the RR Nagar constituency over charges that the electoral process had been vitiated, and the countermanding of the election for the Jayanagar seat after the death of the BJP candidate. PTI