Karnataka: 22 For Congress, 12 For JD(S)

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that Karnataka chief minister-elect HD Kumaraswamy's meeting with United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi was a cordial one and that the two parties sought a long-term partnership with each other.

Antony also charged that six ministers of the NDA-led Centre had camped in Karnataka to oversee the efforts of "horse-trading" and woo the MLAs of the opposite camp.

BJP's veteran leaders like L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha have sidelined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they were above 75 years in age.

The problem with such a proposition, however, has been the regional parties' stance on the Congress.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief along with some other party leaders arrived in Bengaluru from Hyderabad in a special aircraft on Tuesday evening. The verdict has helped JD (S) to get back to the limelight and head the government, with the support of Congress. This was seen as a positive overture by the TRS towards the Congress. But everybody's central agenda is keeping BJP away from power in the 2019 polls to the Lok Sabha. "Will they allow state leaders to play effective and leading roles in the coalition?"

Those equations will have to still be worked out between the parties. HD Kumaraswamy sought blessings from Sonia Gandhi as an elder and the head of the family. He has also left the decision of deputy chief minister and cabinet portfolios to his son and Congress leaders, the report further said.

He said, he will take all Congress leaders into confidence to ensure a stable Government.

DMK leader MK Stalin, who was also expected to be present, has cancelled his Bengaluru visit due to the violence in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. The JD (S) would have 12 minsters in the 34-member Kumaraswamy's cabinet.

CPI (M), as the only party opposed to the Congress, in its party congress held recently, had chosen the middle path regarding tie-ups with the Congress after a long-winding debate between the so-called Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury camps within the party.

While there is little doubt now that if the opposition decides to band together and fight unitedly, it can defeat the BJP - it happened when the RJD and the JDU came together in Bihar, and again when BSP and SP came to an understanding in the UP bypolls - the real question is what happens once the BJP has been defeated.

But having stretched the grand old party's political and financial resources, the BJP is now looking at the next budget session to try and bring down the Kumaraswamy government. "Portfolio allocation to be decided after floor test", Congress General Secretary and Karnataka In-charge KC Venugopal said.