BJP got mandate to run govt at Centre not to destabilise K\'taka govt: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said there will not be any expansion of cabinet or dissolution of Karnataka's Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy after the poll debacle of both parties in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Siddaramaiah said that people of the state had given their mandate on who should run the government at the Centre and not against the state government.

"People of the nation have given mandate to BJP to run the government at the Centre and not to destabilise the state government in Karnataka. Election results came against us but that do not mean state Assembly should be dissolved, it is nonsense," Siddaramaiah tweeted days after the BJP won 25 parliamentary seats out of 28 in the state in the recently concluded elections.

This remark came after two Congress MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Sudhakar met BJP leader R Ashok at veteran leader SM Krishna's residence in Bengaluru on Sunday.

However, the MLAs clarified that they visited Krishna's residence to greet him for the success of BJP in the recently-held polls, adding that there was "nothing political" about the meeting.

BJP leader Basavaraj Ingin accused that the governance is limited to the family of JD(S) Deve Gowda.

"There is no political development in Karnataka. There is neither breaking away or going ahead with the alliance. Only Deve Gowda family and Rahul Gandhi are interested in continuing with the alliance. Leaders and workers of both the parties are not interested in continuing with the alliance," Ingin said.

"Governance is limited to the family of Deve Gowda ji. The Government is not serious to tackle the drought situation in the state. They are only interested in retaining power with them," he said.

However, Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil said that the JD(S)-Congress government will complete its term.

"This coalition government is going to complete its term. None of our MLAs will switch over to BJP. It will not make any difference by this BJP'S activity. This government will enjoy its confidence. It shall continue its full term. This government will survive. Nobody can topple the government," he said.

Congress MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who has been keeping from the party activities, said that he will remain in the party.

"I have no intention to become a minister. I will remain in Congress. There is no fight," he said.

When asked about the similar question on the government, Karnataka Minister RV Deshpande said, "The government will last and complete its term. I don't think there is any problem with stability. If he (Yeddyurappa) wants fresh elections then this government would have to lose floor test."

Karnataka Minister and JD(S) leader Bandeppa Kashempur on Monday accused BJP of toppling the state government. "BJP has been trying to topple our government from our first day. They do not succeed in that," he said.

In view of the tumultuous political developments in Karnataka, Congress party's state unit has called for a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on May 29 in Bengaluru.

Along with Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Dinesh Gundu Rao, will also be present at the meeting.

BJP is the single largest party with 105 members in the 225 member assembly, while the ruling coalition has 117 members with 79 legislators from Congress, 37 from JD(S) and 1 from BSP.

The JD(S)-Congress coalition which is in power in the state went through a rough patch during the campaigning of the recently held elections with leaders of both the parties accusing each other.