The Janata Dal-Secular on Sunday decided to join hands with the Congress to form government in Karnataka.

The assembly election had delivered a fractured verdict on Thursday. The Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 79 seats, followed by the Congress (64). The Deve Gowda-led JD-S, which won 58 seats, held the key to who would form government.

On Sunday, the JD-S authorised Gowda to hold talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the modalities of government formation and elected state party unit president Siddaramaiah as its legislature party leader.

After a meeting of the party's newly elected MLAs and MPs, Gowda said they decided to maintain the secular credentials of the JD-S.