Guv should call us to form govt, Cong-JDS tally 'tragic', says BJP

Claiming that they have the magic number, Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said that Governor Vajubhai Vala can take the decision to call them to form the government in Karnataka as the Congress-JD(S) tally is now "tragic".

Amid ongoing political tussle in Karnataka, BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje told ANI, "Now our strength is more than Congress-JD(S) MLAs. We are almost 107, they have fallen to 103. I think the Governor can take the decision to call BJP to form the government."

Another BJP leader from the state, Basavraj Bommai, said that Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy should resign as they lack a majority.

"Congress and JD(S) lost their majority. The magic number is with the BJP. Whatever is left with them is a tragic number. They don't have the moral right to continue in the office for a minute. Kumaraswamy should resign. The MLAs have resigned on their own. Therefore, no anti-defection law is breached. They didn't join any party. He has to resign," he said.

The Congress called for its Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru this morning.

The 13-month old Congress-JDS government in the state has landed in a major crisis after 11 Congress MLAs on July 6 claimed to have put in their papers to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.

The Congress-JD(S) coalition is making all efforts to protect its government which seems to have fallen short of majority after the resignation of several of the MLAs from both the parties.

The rebel MLAs are in Mumbai at an undisclosed location.

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has also claimed that they will overcome the current bout of crisis. All the ministers from the two parties have resigned paving way for restructuring of the state cabinet in a bid to accommodate the dissident MLAs.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday accused the BJP of conspiring to topple Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in reply, asserted that his party is committed to parliamentary democracy and has no relation with the developments in Karnataka.