BJP be given first chance to form Karnataka government: Ex-Speaker

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said on Tuesday that Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala should give the BJP the first chance to form the new government in the state since it was the single-largest party in the new house.

"The BJP should be called first. They are the single largest party (in the new Assembly)," Chatterjee told a television channel here.

The veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist politician and lawyer said that in case the BJP claims to have the numbers to form the new government, the Governor should also convene a special session of the new Karnataka Assembly for a floor test.

"The Governor should tell the Bharatiya Janata Party to prove its majority on the floor of the house," Chatterjee said.

"Alternately (in case BJP says it is incapable of cobbling up a majority), the Governor should give chance to other two parties (Congress, Janata Dal-Secular) who have claimed they together have the numbers. Whoever is called has to prove its majority on the floor of the house," the former Lok Sabha Speaker said.

Karnataka voters have delivered a hung Assembly verdict as none of the major parties able to reach the halfway mark in the 224-member Assembly, with BJP ending up with 104 seats, the Congress with 78 and JD-S with 38 seats. Elections were held in 222 seats on May 12.

In a dramatic turn of events, the Congress announced backing to the Janata Dal-Secular to form the new government whereas the BJP urged the Governor to to allow it to prove its majority in the Karnataka Assembly as it was the single largest party in the new house.

--IANS

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