Karnataka polls: Won't support Congress, BJP in case of hung assembly, says JDS

The Janata Dal Secular (JDS) will support neither the Congress nor the BJP and go for re-elections in case of a hung assembly in Karnataka, the party’s chief ministerial candidate HD Kumaraswamy said.

In an interview to the Economic Times, Kumaraswamy said, “I think we will get about 100 seats and some independent MLAs will be there. If not, we will sit in the opposition, or go for fresh elections.”

Kumaraswamy said that he had a “bitter experience” forming governments with the BJP and the Congress and he will not repeat the same mistake again.

“I have made a lot of promises to the people, I will not be able to fulfil them if I join hands with Congress or BJP. We had a bitter experience forming governments with both Congress and BJP,” he told the daily.

Several pre-poll surveys predicted that Karnataka Assembly elections 2018 may witness a neck-and-neck contest between the Congress and BJP and the JD(S) will play the kingmaker’s role.

Most surveys have predicted that though the Congress will emerge as the single largest party, it will not get enough seats to form the government on its own.

However, when it comes to the choice of Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah leads the race with more than 46 per cent votes. 32 per cent people chose BJP’s Yeddyurappa for the top job in the state, according to a survey conducted by the Times Now-VMR.

Although, Kumaraswamy claimed that the JD(S) will win about 100 seats and form the government with the help of independent MLAs, the survey told a different story and predicted just 40 seats for the party.