'Karnataka rebels to meet same fate as those in Maharashtra,' says Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Pointing to defeat of political leaders who switched sides in Assembly elections in Maharashtra and bypolls in some states, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday said ''defectors'' in Karnataka would face similar outcome in the coming byelections leading to resignation of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

"I won't say that this result (Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly polls) will have its implications on bypolls in the state, but people will defeat defectors; people have defeated defectors in Maharashtra polls, also in Gujarat bypoll," the former Karnataka Chief Minister said.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he claimed "Even in Karnataka, if by-elections are held for 15 Assembly seats, majority (of them) we will win and a situation will arise for Yediyurappa to resign."

Bypolls are to be held on December 5 to 15 out of the 17 constituencies represented by disqualified MLAs of Congress and JD(S), whose revolt led to the collapse of the coalition government of the two parties in July, paving the way for the BJP government headed by Yediyurappa.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed that the BJP government in the state will collapse as disqualified MLAs will face "defeat" similar to "turncoats" who lost polls and bypolls in a few states, for which results were declared on Thursday.

"Be it Alpesh Thakor or Udayanraje Bhosale, nearly all the turncoats who cheated the electorate and their party by joining the BJP have been defeated. ''Atrupta'' MLAs of Karnataka will soon meet a similar fate. We will win all 17 seats and throw out this BJP ''COMA'' Government," Rao tweeted.

Yediyurappa had recently said disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs would be given BJP tickets for the bypolls if they wanted.

BJP needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to remain in a majority in the assembly, which will still have two vacant seats (Maski and RR Nagar).

Asked if the Congress would form the government if the BJP ministry falls, Siddaramaiah, who is the leader of opposition in the state assembly, said: "We will go for polls. We will not go for a minority government like Yediyurappa."

On once again joining hands with JD(S), he merely said, "we have got an experience from that (coalition)". To a question on selection of Congress candidates for by-polls, Siddaramaih said, "looking at the developments at Supreme Court, which is hearing the case of disqualified MLAs, we will decide".

He also made it clear there was no question of taking disqualified MLAs back into the party fold.

Among the 15 constituencies going for polls, 12 were represented by Congress and three by JD(S).

BJP needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to remain in a majority in the assembly, which will still have two vacant seats (Maski and RR Nagar).

Asked if the Congress would form the government if the BJP ministry falls, Siddaramaiah, who is the leader of opposition in the state Assembly, said: "We will go for polls. We will not go for a minority government like Yediyurappa."

On once again joining hands with JD(S), he merely said, "we have got an experience from that (coalition)". To a question on selection of Congress candidates for by-polls, Siddaramaih said, "looking at the developments at Supreme Court, which is hearing the case of disqualified MLAs, we will decide".

He also made it clear there was no question of taking disqualified MLAs back into the party fold.

Among the 15 constituencies going for polls, 12 were represented by Congress and three by JD(S).