Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur briefed Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party sits in dharna, the Congress plans to go ahead with a rally to expose the Janata Dal-Secular and BJP, who they claim, have entered into an unholy alliance.
Savadi would now be the grand old party's candidate in Athani in Belagavi district, Congress leaders said.
The biggest loser in the ongoing political tug-of-war between the Janata Dal-Secular and the Bharatiya Janata Party will be the state of Karnataka, which has incurred a loss of $5 billion in terms of business investments. Market pundits say that the perennial political instability in the state and indecision by the government in the past one year has lead to the loss of investment opportunities.
In a hard-hitting interview to rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa Sadananda Gowda says the BJP will not settle for anything other than power.
Most people feel that the JD-S should hand over power to the BJP as per their agreement, while some feel that if the relationship between the coalition partners has soured to this extent, the state should opt for mid-term elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition ministry headed by H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka was expanded Friday with the induction of 20 ministers.
In the midst of the all the drama that is taking place with regard to the transfer of power in Karnataka, one thing becomes clear and that is the Bharatiya Janata Party at the moment is in no mood for compromise.
Janata Dal-Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Thursday said that there is no question of him holding talks with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in New Delhi on the transfer of power until the BJP in Karnataka sorted out its internal differences.
He had the support of 138 legislators in the 224-member House.
Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has indicated that he will hold the finance portfolio.
The meeting did not make much headway towards finding a solution to the Karnataka crisis.
Asked about BJP's role in the efforts to oust the Dharam Singh government, Bharti said, "It is justified if the intention is to help people and not to make money."
While some of the senior Congress leaders are sending feelers to the JD-S regarding power sharing in the seat, a host of other Congress legislators feel that any sort of alignment with the JD-S will spell doom in Karnataka.
The Janata Dal-Secular on Tuesday charged Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa with violating the model code of conduct by addressing individual letters to beneficiaries of old age pension scheme and said it would complain to the Election Commission about it.
The Congress has decided to hunt for new allies while retaining the old ones in its bid to return to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections. The grand old party's strategy revolves around getting new alliance partners like the Janata Dal-Secular in Karnataka, Trinamool Congress of Mamta Banerjee in West Bengal, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam led by actor- turned-politician Vijaykanth in Tamil Nadu, apart from the existing partners.
He claimed that people from all walks of life across the state were angry against this BJP government.
Revenue Minister M P Prakash was appointed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister in place of Janata Dal (Secular) rebel Siddaramaiah on Saturday.
Amid speculation that he has been asked to come to the national capital by the high command, he said: "I have not received any call yet. Let's see."
In 2019, actor turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent backed by the BJP, won by defeating then Kumaraswamy's son and joint candidate of the then ruling Congress-JD-S alliance Nikhil by 1,25,876 votes.
The Assembly session would be held as planned and the Bill would be tabled in the House, Transport Minister N Chaluvaraya Swamy told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
The former chief minister says he will start campaigning for his party in another 15 days, although the doctors have advised a month's rest.
PGR Scindia, a veteran who had spent over 10 years in the JD-S follows senior leader MP Prakash and quits the party.
H D Deve Gowda and his sons did everything in the book to prevent Prakash from leaving the party. However, their attempts were unsuccessful and Prakash stuck to his guns.
The process of ministry expansion in Karnataka has run into rough weather following differences between the two coalition partners, the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular, over the allocation of plum portfolios
The Janata Dal [Secular] is expected to make a last ditch effort to persuade the Congress to accept its demand that it should lead the coalition government with Siddaramaiah as the chief minister.
Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of JD-S patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, and is the only candidate from the party to have won the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka in 2019.
The sources said elections will most likely to be held within six months. The decision by the Parliament was taken after the Union Cabinet gave its approval taking into account the fact that no party was able to form the government.
Instructions would also be given to the legislators on how they should behave during the swearing-in ceremony, he added.
Vast experience in running the government and mass appeal across the state have favoured Siddaramaiah in the tightly contested race for Karnataka chief minister.
Kumaraswamy's remarks assumed significance in the backdrop of former home minister Prakash rushing to Delhi on Friday to continue talks with Congress leaders in a bid to concretise efforts for government formation proposal.
They are the contenders, the leaders of parties that will finally form a government in Karnataka.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy is reported to have told his legislators about his intention to resign from the post of chief minister. However, the MLAs were united in their stand and urged him not to step down.
The BSP is contesting on 20 seats in Karnataka election with an alliance with Janata Dal-Secular while the SP is contesting on 27 on its own.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday appeared to be warming up to the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that "a new chapter has to begin to control looters" as he targeted the Congress government alleging corruption.
He said the Congress not only humiliated his party leaders but also tried to engineer defections and bring about a split.
It is possible to be blind to this and pretend to carry on as if nothing has happened but that will not change the reality, asserts Aakar Patel.
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