Karnataka JD (S) Leader, HD Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: As exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Karnataka, Janata Dal Secular appears to be the one to tilt the weight to the side that wins over the regional party, according to reports.
Poll pandits, musing about the outcome of the polls, believe that HD Kumaraswamy's emaciated party will be the kingmaker this time for the state.
A senior leader of the party reportedly said that feelers from both Congress and the BJP have come to the party seeking alliance, suggesting that both camps will be short of numbers.
Senior JD(S) leader Tanveer Ahmed told NDTV that JD(S) has decided with whom they will partner post the counting.
Party chief Kumaraswamy is away in Singapore since Wednesday night and will arrive on the day of vote counting.
‘The decision is done. It's taken. We will announce it to the public when it is right time to,’ Tanveer Ahmed was quoted by NDTV as saying.
However, the BJP camp is in denial of the fact that it will fall short of numbers, but is confident of winning a ‘clear mandate’.
The BJP's Shobha Karandlaje claimed that the party will win 120 seats based on what she said ‘information on ground from our Karyakartas’.
Karandlaje asserted that there is ‘no question of coalition at all’, stressing that the BJP had not approached JD(S).
Tanveer Ahmed made it clear that both the national parties reached out to the JD(S), because his party is ‘in such a position today’.
Asked whom they will support, JD (S) leader who spoke to NDTV said the party will support those who are going to work for the ‘betterment of Karnataka and Kannadigas’.