Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday rubbished indications by Congress and JDS leaders of a possible post bypoll alliance in Karnataka, saying such talks don’t have any value.

He also asserted that BJP candidates will win in all the 15 assembly constituencies that are going for bypolls.

Advertisement

“People will give them the answer. Once the results are out, Congress and JDS will realise that people are with us,” Mr Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters while campaigning in poll bound Shivajinagar assembly segment in Bengaluru, he said he was 100 per cent confident that BJP candidates would win all 15 constituencies going for by-elections.

To a query on Congress and JDS hinting at the possibility of coming together to form government, BS Yediyurappa said, “Such talks don’t have any value. Those who are insane are talking such things, and it doesn’t have value.”

Sounding upbeat after forming a coalition government in neighboring Maharashtra, the Congress in Karnataka made it clear that it was not averse to joining hands with JDS once again, in case the ruling BJP fails to garner the required number of seats to remain in majority after December 5 bypolls.

JDS leaders have already dropped enough hints about the party being open to such a possibility.

While speaking to the media in Belagavi, BS Yediyurappa said, here would be political polarisation in the state after the bypolls as claimed by the Congress as they will bite the dust and remain in opposition while BJP will continue to govern the state for remaining 3.5 years.

“Once the results are out on December 9 it will be clear, people will teach a lesson to Congress and JDS leaders. People have decided that BS Yediyurappa should be given an opportunity for remaining 3.5 years,” he said adding Congress and its leader Siddaramaiah were “day dreaming” about coming to power and becoming chief minister.

The ruling BJP led by BS Yediyurappa needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which will still have two vacant seats – Maski and RR Nagar.
Among the 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JDS, whose coalition government collapsed after rebellion by the disqualified MLAs.

With winning majority of seats being crucial for the government’s survival, BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators who joined the party as its candidates from their respective constituencies.