<p class="title">Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today said MLAs who switch parties should be banned from contesting elections for one term in order to prevent horse-trading in the event of a hung house.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He was apparently referring to the post-poll situation in Karnataka where the BJP has staked claim to form the government despite being seven short of simple majority.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On the other hand, JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy also has staked claim to form the government with Congress' support as the two parties have a combined strength of 115 MLAs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Simply disqualifying defecting MLAs isn't enough to stop horse trading since most of them come back with a mandate of their newly-discovered party. They should be barred from fighting elections for a period of not less than one term," he tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The National Conference leader also defended the Congress' tactics in Karnataka, reminding the critics about the role played by the BJP in Goa and Manipur last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Whether the Congress manages to form a government by supporting JD(S) or not, they shouldn't be criticised for trying. The BJP would be doing exactly the same thing if the positions were reversed," Abdullah said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What about the other states where the BJP sneaked in through the back door? What's sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander," he said.</p>
<p class="title">Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today said MLAs who switch parties should be banned from contesting elections for one term in order to prevent horse-trading in the event of a hung house.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He was apparently referring to the post-poll situation in Karnataka where the BJP has staked claim to form the government despite being seven short of simple majority.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On the other hand, JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy also has staked claim to form the government with Congress' support as the two parties have a combined strength of 115 MLAs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Simply disqualifying defecting MLAs isn't enough to stop horse trading since most of them come back with a mandate of their newly-discovered party. They should be barred from fighting elections for a period of not less than one term," he tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The National Conference leader also defended the Congress' tactics in Karnataka, reminding the critics about the role played by the BJP in Goa and Manipur last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Whether the Congress manages to form a government by supporting JD(S) or not, they shouldn't be criticised for trying. The BJP would be doing exactly the same thing if the positions were reversed," Abdullah said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What about the other states where the BJP sneaked in through the back door? What's sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander," he said.</p>