The Congress and the JD(S) have gathered signatures of their MLAs on a document and sought an appointment from Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to submit the documents to prove that they have the numbers to form the government.
It can’t be confirmed how many MLAs have signed the document, but it is safe to say that both the parties together must have gathered at least 112 signatures before approaching the Governor.
While outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed, earlier today, that the Congress-JD(S) combine has 117 MLAs, it is learnt that the document was not signed by three MLAs.
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Citing the majority mark, Siddaramaiah has said that Governor Vajubhai Vala has to give Congress-JD(S) an opportunity to form the government.
“We have 117 MLAs, Governor has to give opportunity to us (JDS-Congress combine) to form the government,” the Congress leader had said.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of the legislature party, he also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of encouraging horse-trading to bring the BJP to power in the state.
“Narendra Modi is encouraging horse-trading,” he said.
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The May 12 Assembly elections had delivered a fractured verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats, falling eight seats short of the 112 needed to form the government in the state.
The Congress won 78 seats and the JD(S) 37.