No BJP MLA will join other party; over 20 MLAs will leave Cong: BS Yeddyurappa

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa denied Congress leader KC Venugopal's claim that many BJP MLAs will join his party after May 23, saying more than 20 MLAs will not continue in Congress after declaration of election results of the Lok Sabha.

"Not a single person from BJP will join any other party. After May 23, more than 20 Congress MLAs who are not happy with HD Kumaraswamy will not continue in the party," said BS Yeddyurappa.

Congress leader KC Venugopal on Monday asserted that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka will join his party after May 23, when the results of the seven-phase general elections will be declared.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Venugopal said Congress is not going to indulge in horse-trading, as legislatures would shift guard on their own.

"We are not going to poach any MLAs from BJP but naturally they will come to Congress after May 23. That is going to happen. In last one year, Karnataka has been witnessing horse-trading mentality of BJP, and on the other hand, Congress-JD(S) joined together," Venugopal said.

"We formed the government; we are ruling the state from last one year. We will definitely continue," he added.

Horse-trading allegations have surfaced time and again in Karnataka, ever since the assembly elections took place in May last year.

In January this year, BJP had housed all its 104 MLAs in a hotel in Gurugram, fearing to poaching by Congress.

A month later, Congress alleged that BJP's BS Yeddyurappa had offered around Rs 200 crore to 18 of its MLAs in an attempt to destabilise the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.

Karnataka went to polls in two phases of the Lok Sabha elections - on April 18 and 23 - for the 28 Lok Sabha seats at stake. Results will be declared on May 23.

In the 224-member state Assembly, JD(S) has 37 MLAs and its coalition partner has 80. It has the support of some Independents in the House where the majority figure is 113.