Karnataka govt formation: Mandate not confused, it was against Congress, says Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the saffron party had emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka with 104 seats but the Congress and JD(S) had formed an "unholy alliance" to subvert the people's mandate.

Shah also asked the Congress to explain to the people of Karnataka why they were celebrating even when most of their ministers had lost election.

"Only Congress and JD(S) are celebrating, people of Karnataka are not (celebrating)," he told reporters.

"What are they celebrating for? Congress was reduced from 122 to 78 seats, most of their ministers lost their seats, even Siddaramaiah lost from one constituency and won by a narrow margin in the other. Similarly, why is JD(S) celebrating? For getting 37 seats?" he demanded.

The mandate given by people of Karnataka was against the Congress. There was no confusion about it, he said.

"If we had not staked claim to form government, it would have been against the mandate of Karnataka people," he asserted

Congress has found a new way of portraying defeat as its victory, Shah said, taking a swipe at the rival party, and added that he hopes this new definition of victory continues till 2019 as it will benefit the BJP.

He also claimed that the Congress lawyer lied in the Supreme Court that BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa had sought seven days time from the Governor to prove majority in the House.

Responding to the allegations of horse-trading leveled at the BJP by the Congress and JD(S), Shah said: "Humpe horse-trading ka aarop lagaya hai, lekin Congress ne poora ka poora astabal bech khaya hai (Congress has accused us of horse-trading, but they are the ones who have sold out the entire stable)."

"We never believe in horse-trading. Congress should answer what they did with MLAs by locking them in a five-star hotel," he added.

Amit Shah said that Congress did not stake claim to form government in Karnataka leaving the governor with no option but to invite the single-largest party in a hung Assembly. He further rejected the charge that the BJP had done a similar thing in Goa and Manipur where the Congress was the single-largest party.

"The Congress never staked claim to form government in Goa and Manipur. The BJP stitched an alliance and formed government in those two states," Amit Shah said.

Shah accused Congress of trying to influence the Supreme Court's decision on Karnataka by releasing fake audio clips of BJP leaders offering bribes to its MLAs. This comes hours after a Congress MLA claimed that a clip released by his party was "fake".

Shah said, "Today, Congress leaders have admitted that the allegations of bribery were false and it was done to influence the Supreme Court."