JD-S Kumaraswamy will be next Karnataka CM: Siddaramaiah

Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said H.D. Kumaraswamy would be the next chief minister of the JD-S-led government supported by the Congress in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah has also quashed rumours that a section of MLAs of his party was unhappy over him joining hands with Congress.

"We have decided that Kumaraswamy will be the chief minister. We are 117 together," Siddaramaiah said after a meeting between the two parties took place late in the evening, post the announcement of election results of Karnataka, which has thrown up a fractured mandate.

Asked about reports of dissension among some Congress MLAs over the two parties coming together, Siddaramaiah said: "It's a baseless rumour."

In the election results, the Bharatiya Janata Party has won 104 seats, emerging as the single largest party, while the Congress with 78 seats is at the second position. Former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) party has emerged as a kingmaker with 37 seats.

Apart from this, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party both won one seat each. Remaining one seat went to an Independent candidate contesting from the state.

Elections in Karnataka were held at 222 out of 224 seats, on May 12. Elections in two assembly constituencies have been deferred. A party or an alliance needs 112 seats to form the government in Karnataka.

As the results of the poll in the state have left the assembly in hung, the final decision will be taken by the Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.

(ANI)