'Our agenda is to make sure disqualified MLAs lose,' says Siddaramaiah on K'taka bypolls

Just days ahead of the Karnataka bypolls, Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that it did not matter whether H D Kumaraswamy supported his party or not.

"Our agenda is to make sure that all the disqualified MLAs lose the election. Whether JD(S) supports BJP or not, is not the issue to talk about at this point of time," he said while speaking to media.

"They have to win at least 8 seats to touch 113 which is the majority number. 105+8 they have to win, to save the government," the former Karnataka Chief Minister added.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court upheld K R Ramesh Kumar's decision to disqualify 17 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs under the anti-defection law and said that they can contest the upcoming by-elections in the state.

The rebel legislators were also barred from contesting polls for the duration of the current assembly, which is slated to end in 2023.

The move marked the end of Congress-JD (S) coalition government, paving way for BJP to stake claim to form a new government in the state.

The disgruntled MLAs then moved the apex court challenging their disqualification. They sought quashing of the order passed by the speaker and prohibition imposed on them to contest elections.

The matter was reserved by the court on October 25.

The elections for 15 out of 17 seats are slated to be held on December 5 since the poll body had withheld the elections for two seats -- Maski and Rajarajeshwari -- as the petitions against these Assembly constituencies are pending in the Karnataka High Court.