Referring to statements made by senior Congress leaders - Siddaramaiah and R V Deshpande - on Sunday that “BJP-JD(S) coalition forming an alternative government will be unconstitutional”, he told reporters: “I am not a legal expert. Let the seniors who wore black coats earlier (Siddaramaiah and Deshpande have a law background) take the lead that is legally viable in the current situation.”

On the JD(S) legislators going to Delhi to parade before the President, he said: “We have invited M P Prakash to join us in the parade. Otherwise, the media will blame me saying I was just pretending to support the BJP,” he said.

Mr Kumaraswamy added, “We extend an unconditional support to the BJP as promised. We hope the media will not come out with a critical analysis of its own,” he said.

Earlier, Kumaraswamy, accompanied by his wife Anitha Kumaraswamy, was welcomed by his admirers and party leaders.

Former district incharge minister G T Deve Gowda, MLA M P Venkatesh, former MLA A R Krishna Murthy, MDCC Bank Chairman C Basave Gowda, MyMUL Chairman Umashankar and some officials were also present on the occasion.