Bengaluru: Dismissing the possibility of the state Congress and Janata Dal(S) coming together post the December 5 byelections to form a government in Karnataka again, veteran BJP leader, S.M.Krishna exuded confidence on Tuesday that the saffron party would win most of the 15 assembly constituencies going to the polls and have the numbers needed to provide a stable government for the rest of its term.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Krishna said his party would need not the support of the JD(S) either to continue in government. “The BJP will win a majority of seats in the bypolls and provide a stable government for the remaining three- and-a- half years,” he asserted.
Claiming that “all the political drama” of the Congress and JD(S) would come to an end after December 9 when the results would be declared, he cautioned BJP workers not to be taken in by it.
“Both Congress and JD(S) leaders are giving contradictory statements. They are day-dreaming. BJP workers need to be aware of this and work for their party candidates to win the maximum number of seats,” Mr. Krishna advised.
The former external affairs minister and Chief Minister, who spent decades in the Congress, before switching loyalty to the BJP, also downplayed rumours about a second round of Operation Lotus by the saffron party after the bypolls to safeguard its government. “I don’t think it’s necessary for more MLAs to resign. We are supremely confident about winning a majority the seats,” he reiterated.
Clarifying his statement on his role in bringing down the Kumaraswamy government while campaigning in Chikaballapura recently, he said, “ I did not say I was responsible for the fall of the Kumaraswamy government. I only said I played a small role in it. Many of my old friends often meet me and discuss political developments in the state. When MLAs didn’t want the coalition government to continue, I advised them to take the appropriate decision.”
While claiming that he did not have any agenda against the coalition government, he said he was against the way it was formed without the mandate of the people.
