Bengaluru, (DHNS): Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s jibe at BJP’s “troll army” before accompanying his mother Sonia Gandhi for a medical checkup in the US, invited a sharp rebuke from the BJP on Monday, asking him to ensure that Karnataka got a “working government” first. Rahul, late Sunday night, announced his plans to accompany Sonia for her annual medical checkup. Often targeted by the BJP over his foreign visits, Rahul had a message – don’t get too worked up...I’ll be back soon”. “Will be out of India for a few days, accompanying Sonia ji to her annual medical check up. To my friends in the BJP social media troll army: don’t get too worked up...I’ll be back soon,” the Congress chief said before heading out to the US.

The BJP hit back at Rahul on Twitter asking him to ensure that a “working government” was in place in Karnataka before he left for foreign shores. “We wish well for Sonia ji’s health. Women of Karnataka also await Cabinet formation so that the state Govt can start serving them. Can you ensure Karnataka gets a working Govt before you leave,” the BJP said on its Twitter handle. The Cabinet expansion in Karnataka has been stuck in endless parleys between alliance partners Congress and the JD(S). JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Pradesh Congress President G Parameshwara were sworn-in as chief minister and deputy chief minister on Wednesday last but the coalition partners were yet to agree on the allotment of portfolios.

The Congress, a senior partner in the alliance, has been insisting on a lion’s share in the government with the JD(S) also digging in its heels. An exasperated Kumaraswamy had on Sunday said he was at the “mercy” of the Congress and not the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka as his party had not received the full mandate in the recent assembly elections.