Mysuru, Jan 24 (IANS): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday termed the coalition of the BJP and the JD-S the outcome of a "leadership and confidence deficit" in both the parties.

Talking to reporters at the Bylakuppe helipad near Periyapatna, he said: "The BJP and the JD-S are suffering from a serious deficit of leadership and self-confidence and hence they have joined hands. Now, they are desperately trying to get (former Chief Minister) Jagadish Shettar back into the party fold.

"This is a tell-tale sign of weakness in the party. They don’t have candidates for the upcoming general elections.”

Shivakumar also said that they made JD-S leader H.D. Kumaraswamy the Chief Minister to keep BJP away and "now, Kumaraswamy is embracing the very people who brought his government down. This unholy alliance is a clear example of the state of affairs in the two parties".

He also demanded that the Bharat Ratna, be given to former Chief Minister D. Devraj Urs, voice of the downtrodden Dalits in Karnataka.

Welcomed the decision to award Bharat Ratna posthumously to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakurm he said that "Devaraja Arasu should be awarded Bharat Ratna too. The Kannadigas demand that D. Devraj Urs be awarded the Bharat Ratna as he made immense contribution to the welfare of the Dalits in Karnataka".