JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy heads to Delhi, says Congress bid to form govt will not happen

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said the Congress bid to form government at the Centre will not happen.

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday declared results for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 seats and the Congress 99.

Speaking to reporters before heading for New Delhi, he said the NDA constituents meeting will be held in the national capital, and he would be participating on behalf of JD(S).

“Nothing will happen,” Kumaraswamy said, replying to a query on the Congress party’s exercise to form the government.

Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, won the Lok Sabha election from Mandya as an NDA candidate. Along with him, the party’s candidate Mallesh Babu won from Kolar. However, JD(S) candidate from Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, lost the election.

The NDA got 19 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. The BJP won 17 and JD(S) – 2.

The BJP won 25 seats in 2019 along with a party backed independent candidate.

The ruling Congress increased its tally from one seat in 2019 to nine this time.