Bangalore: Expressing confidence about his government completing its full term, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said Friday the question of the BJP taking support of the Janata Dal (Secular) would not arise at all.
Confident about the BJP winning all the 15 seats going to the by-polls December 5, Yediyurappa said he was not bothered about the possibilities of the Congress and JD(S) coming together again to form the government, in case the ruling party fails to garner required seats to remain in majority.
“We have complete confidence that we will win in all 15 seats, this fight is only to see – what is the margin of victory. It is the expectation of the people that Yediyurappa government should continue for three-and- half-more- years,” asserted Yediyurappa.
Speaking to reporters at Haveri, the chief minister said the opposition was free to speak anything and they have that freedom.
The ruling BJP needs to win at least six seats to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which would still have two vacant seats – Maski and RR Nagar.
Among the constituencies going to the by-polls, 12 were held by the Congress and three by JD(S), whose coalition government collapsed due to rebellion by the disqualified MLAs.
Yediyurappa was not ready to think about the possibilities of Congress and JD(S) joining hands to form the government after the by-polls. “We are not bothered, it is left to them (whether they come together or not). We will get majority (after the bypolls) and we will complete our term of remaining 3.5 years,” said Yediyurappa.
JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, in a cryptic remark made in the context of the by-polls, had recently said Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s decision after the election results December 9 should be watched out for. His statement had led to speculation about the possibility of the former allies coming together once again if the situation arises.
Asked if BJP will seek Gowda’s cooperation in case the BJP fails to garner required number of seats, Yediyurappa said: “That question does not arise at all. We don’t want anyone’s cooperation. Hundred per cent we will win all the 15 seats.”
With winning a majority of seats being crucial for the government’s survival, the BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators who joined the party as its candidates from their respective constituencies.
Though the BJP is claiming that it will win in all 15 constituencies, party sources called Hunsur, K R Pete, Yeshwanthpur, Hoskote as ‘difficult’ constituencies.
Agencies