Portfolio sharing had turned out to be a thorny issue between the Congress and JD-S and was thrashed out after much haggling, with both parties announcing an agreement on June one.
The ruling Congress in Karnataka on Monday wrested the Bellary rural seat from the Bharatiya Janata Party and was ahead in another constituency as counting of votes for the prestigious bypolls held on August 21 was taken up on Monday morning.
The BJP will need to win at least six seats to remain in power.
'The message they want to send to the country is that they can do anything by hook or crook'
Speculations about the JD (S) aligning with the Congress is being fuelled to pressurise the BJP to accept the ruling party's terms and let it continue at the helm of the state.
The CM met M B Patil, a prominent Congress leader under whose leadership a section of dissatisfied MLAs have been holding meetings.
The ruling coalition had held out the threat of using the Whip against the wayward MLAs, citing the disqualification provision under the anti-defection law.
While the Congress has convened a meeting of all its MLAs on Wednesday to take stock of the evolving situation, the BJP legislators have been shifted to Haryana in an attempt to keep the flock together and thwart any poaching attempt by the Congress-JDS combine.
The speaker said he would take a decision on the remaining 14 cases in a "couple of days."
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