Karnataka Election Results: Mallikarjun Kharge said that alliance with Janata Dal-Secular was possible.
In a virtual admission that the Congress may fall short of a majority in Karnataka, party leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday that an alliance with the
Janata Dal-Secular or JDS was possible.
He said he will discuss the possibility of an alliance with HD Deve Gowda's party with the high command. "Correct position will be known at 11-11.30 am. I am going to meet Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ashok Gehlot and we will discuss," Mr Kharge said.
But he quickly added that it was too early to predict the outcome of Saturday's
Assembly election. Vote count on Tuesday showed the
BJP ahead of the ruling Congress.
The JDS has so far been non-committal about the BJP as well as Congress. Sources say Mr Siddaramaiah's removal from chief ministership could be a rider for Deve Gowda to extend his support to the Congress. The JDS has said it is the Congress's "responsibility" to reach out if it did not get majority.
Exit polls have been throwing up sharply contrasting results for whether it will be the BJP or Congress who will score the maximum seats. One television channel ran two different exit polls that contradicted each other on the winner
A total of 222 of the 224 seats went for polls involving a three-cornered contest between the ruling Congress, the BJP and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda's party Janata Dal (Secilar) or JD(S).
The polling percentage in the May 12 elections has been put at 72.13 per cent.
It would be clear post noon whether the voters in Karnataka have given their verdict decisively as being claimed by the political parties, or for a hung assembly as projected by a majority of the post-poll surveys.
(with inputs from agencies)