Karnataka, Rajasthan govts on shaky grounds

The Congress's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections may have ramifications beyond just the Parliament in the National Capital; sources have said Congress governments in Karnataka and Rajasthan are also on shaky grounds, with legislators unhappy with the party's performance and the Opposition BJP eyeing dissident MLAs in both states.

While the Congress won just one seat in Karnataka out of a possible 28, it couldn't even do that in Rajasthan, as the BJP secured a clean sweep of all 25 seats. In addition, the Congress was also crushed in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The party had formed governments in all four states last year, but was decimated in a matter of months.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah insisted the Congress-JD(S) alliance was on firm ground, and rejected BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa's claim that it was about to collapse. "Yeddyurappa has been saying for the last one year the government will fall. He will continue to say the same for the next four years. I am confident the government is strong," he said.

BJP had predicted the collapse of the ruling coalition and an increase in its tally in the Assembly after the Lok Sabha poll results, claiming 20-odd Congress MLAs were unhappy with the government and may take a decision anytime soon. The BJP is the single largest party in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly with 105 MLAs, but Congress with 79 and JD(S) with 37 have been in an alliance since a year.

In Rajasthan, meanwhile, the Congress is more comfortably placed with 112 MLAs in a 200-member Assembly. However, many in the party asked for change in leadership following the party's worst ever electoral show in the state. After the purported "resignation" letter of minister Lalchand Kataria went viral on social media, Ramesh Chanda Meena called for introspection in the party. Senior party minister Udaylal Anjana has questioned ticket distribution.

The BJP, however, is enjoying rumblings within Congress. "We have always said the Congress party practices dynasty politics. So far as the formation of government in the state is concerned, everything is possible in politics," said BJP's state unit president Madan Lal Saini.

—With inputs from agencies

Tale Of Two States

• BJP is the single largest party in Karnataka with 105 MLAs, but JD(S) and Congress are in power with 79 and 37 seats
• In Rajasthan, Congress appears comfortably placed with 112 out of 200 MLAs, but many of them are said to be disgruntled.