By IANS,
Bangalore : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has fallen short of a majority in the Karnataka assembly by one or two seats, will meet Governor Rameshwar Thakur Monday to stake claim to form the government, chief minister-designate B.S. Yediyurappa said Sunday.
The newly elected legislators of the party will meet Monday to formally elect Yediyurappa as their leader who will later meet Thakur, party general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar said.
The two leaders were addressing a crowded press conference at the party office after the Congress conceded defeat in the elections to the 225-member house held in three phases May 10, 16 and 22.
With about two results yet to be declared, the BJP had won 110 seats, the Congress 80, the Janata Dal-Secular 28 and independents and small parties
the remaining six.
Conceding that his party had fallen short of the majority, Yediyurappa said independents were in touch with his party to help it touch the magic number of 113.
Earlier, a beaming Yediyurappa, who will be BJP’s first chief minister in southern India, was welcomed by hundreds of jubilant slogan-shouting party workers.
He was presented the traditional Mysore Peta (Mysore Turban), which he wore for some time and posed to photographers flashing the victory sign. He was flanked by Ananth Kumar and state party chief D.V. Sadananda Gowda.
Yediyurappa became chief minister in November last year but only for a week because coalition partner Janata Dal-Secular withdrew support, necessitating dissolution of the assembly more than a year ahead of schedule.