Karnataka: Kumaraswamy responds to Shah's 'unholy Cong-JD(S) alliance' jibe

A political slugfest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress continues in Karnataka, even days after the results to the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 were announced.

In his first interaction after BJP failed to solve the Karnataka equation, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress for "preaching lessons of democracy", and dubbed its alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) as 'unholy'.

"They don't see their history and preach us democracy. Those who put lakhs of people into jails without a reason and censored the press are preaching us democracy. Leave Congress aside, I am surprised to see even you people (media) listening to it," he said in an obvious attack on the Congress for the Emergency of 1975.

Later in the day, Karnataka's chief minister-elect HD Kumaraswamy hit back at Shah, calling his thought process 'unholy'.

"According to you, Congress-JD(S) is 'unholy alliance'. Then which is holy alliance? Was it trying to purchase legislators elected on other party symbols? Since no one got the majority, secular parties came together and there is a common philosophy behind it," Kumaraswamy said.

Karnataka verdict: Kumaraswamy to take oath as CM on Wednesday; highlights

Karnataka poll result: In an anti-climax to the hectic political developments since the split verdict on May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost power in Karnataka as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa resigned on Saturday before the trust vote, as he did not have the numbers to prove his majority. His resignation paved the way for the formation of a Congress-Janata Dal(Secular) government headed by H D Kumaraswamy, who has been invited to form a government and will be sworn-in on Monday.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the trust vote, saying he would have learnt lessons from Yeddyurappa having been forced to resign as the Karnataka Chief Minister two days after he was sworn in.

The order for advancing the trust vote to Saturday came from the Supreme Court as the Congress and the JD(S) had filed a petition challenging Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala's invitation to Yeddyurappa to form the government and giving the BJP leader 15 days to prove majority.