KJP will back Cong to form govt: Dhananjay

 Exuding confidence that Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) would emerge as the second largest party in the Assembly elections, KJP chairman V Dhananjay Kumar, on Saturday, predicted that the Congress, would emerge as the single largest party, but fall short of majority. It would have no choice, but seek to support from KJP to form the government.

Claiming that the Congress would be averse to having a post-poll alliance with either the BJP or JD(S), Kumar said that the Congress, which had won around 80 seats in 2008 polls, would get the same number or add a few more seats to its kitty.

He felt that both the BJP and JD(S) would not bag even 25 seats each. Predicting a hung Assembly, Kumar said, for Congress to stake a rightful claim at governance, it would be compelled to take KJP’s help, as his party would be the natural choice.
For, according to Kumar, KJP is expected to garner not less than 60 or 70 seats.

In a freewheeling tete-a-tete with Deccan Herald, Kumar, who foresaw BJP losing out to the Congress, especially in the coastal districts, said at least three to four ministers of the Shettar Cabinet would join KJP, once the Assembly was dissolved.

Continuing in the same vein, Kumar saw the Congress making substantial inroads in Mandya and Mysore districts, besides Greater Bangalore. KJP would come a close second, he said.

‘BSY still wields power’

With former chief minister and KJP president B S Yeddyurappa still wielding considerable influence over voters in north Karnataka, eastern Karnataka and parts of mid-Karnataka, Kumar said KJP was bound to have a prominent role to play once the results were out.

He said that it was obvious that Yeddyurappa would not mind joining hands with the Congress and have a definitive say in government formation. Incidentally, the KJP has fielded 2,600 candidates in the 4,976 wards for the urban local body polls.

In places where its candidates are not in the fray, the party is supporting the Congress nominees. In constituencies where BJP ministers are set to join KJP, their supporters have been fielded as independents.