Hubbali, May 11 (IANS): With most of the exit polls predicting a hung verdict in Karnataka, both the Congress and BJP have commenced backroom operations to form a government in the state.

BJP leaders told IANS that if they fall short of a majority, they will try to bring in elected legislators from the Congress and JD(S).

However Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad also told IANS that "the Congress is not the old Congress of Karnataka. We have evolved and poaching our MLAs is not possible."

Senior Congress leaders led by D.K. Shivakumar and Siddharamiah are in constant touch with AICC General Secretary (Organization) K.C. Venugopal on the strategies to be adopted in case the party falls short of a majority.

The Karnataka Congress leaders are buoyed up over the two prized catches the party got from the BJP -- former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Suvadi.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy said that they will keep their legislators together and he will pitch in for the Chief Minister's post.

The JD (S) leadership is of the opinion that without certain internal issues, the party could have got more than what the exit polls were predicting.