Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 16: In an interesting turn of events on the evening of Wednesday May 16, a newly elected MLA of Karnataka Prajnavanta Janata Party (KPJP) who was with the BJP in the morning made a U-turn and decided to support Congress-JD(S) bid to form the next government in Karnataka.

With the assembly elections throwing up a fractured mandate, BJP and Congress-JD(S) alliance are doing everything in their power to form the government, and the last 24 hours has seen everything from allegations of horsetrading to phone-tapping claims and resort politics.

In the midst of it all, KPJP MLA R Shankar, who won from the Ranebennur constituency, had expressed his support to the Congress on Tuesday May 15 when the election results were out. However, on Wednesday morning, he participated in the BJP legislative party meeting, giving indications that he had officially consented to support the BJP's claim to Karnatak throne. He was even with the BJP leaders when they met governor Vajubhai Vala.

But the same evening, he made a U-turn and said he was going to support the Congress-JD(S) coalition. Sources said he has already informed the Congress about his support and even signed the letter of support from MLAs that was submitted to the governor.

Shankar is said to be a close aide of BJP leader K S Eshwarappa.