PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah thank Karnataka for making BJP the single largest party in the state

Amit Shah also congratulated the BJP members and Yeddyurappa for their 'relentless efforts'.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday thanked the people of Karnataka for making the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) the single largest party in the state. "I thank my sisters and brothers of Karnataka for steadfastly supporting the BJP’s development agenda and making BJP the single largest party in the state. I salute the stupendous work of @BJP4Karnataka Karyakartas who toiled round the clock and worked for the party," the PM tweeted.

I thank my sisters and brothers of Karnataka for steadfastly supporting the BJP’s development agenda and making BJP the single largest party in the state. I salute the stupendous work of @BJP4Karnataka Karyakartas who toiled round the clock and worked for the party.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 15, 2018

BJP president Amit Shah also thanked the people and said that the mandate shows that Karnataka has rejected 'Congress's corruption, dynastic politics and divisive casteism.' In a tweet on Saturday, Shah said: "I thank people of Karnataka for voting BJP as the single largest party. This mandate clearly reflects that Karnataka has rejected Congress's corruption, dynastic politics and divisive casteism."

"I congratulate each & every Karyakarta of @BJP4Karnataka unit and Shri B S Yeddyurappa ji for their relentless efforts. Like rest of the nation, the great land of Karnataka has shown their unwavering trust in PM @narendramodi’s clean, transparent and pro-development governance," he added.

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa today met Governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form the government, countering a move of the Congress-JDS combine which he slammed as an attempt to come back to power through the back door. "BJP has emerged as the single largest party, we have requested the governor to give us an opportunity to prove our majority on the floor of the assembly," Yeddyurappa told reporters after meeting Vala along with Union minister Ananth Kumar.

Not willing to comment on JD(S)-Congress alliance, he said "....We have staked claim to form the government. We have said we will prove our majority in the assembly, give us an opportunity."

The move by Yeddyurappa came soon after JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy wrote to the governor informing him about his decision to accept the Congress' support extended to his party to form the government. In a dramatic twist, the Congress offered support to the JDS-led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to form a government as the assembly polls appeared to throw up a hung verdict.