Bharatiya Janata Party leader BS Yeddyurappa claimed on Saturday that several Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders in Karnataka who were upset over being denied ministerial posts were eager to join his party.

Senior Congress leader MB Patil, however, denied that the “15 to 20 MLAs” unhappy with the Cabinet had plans to quit the party. Party chief Rahul Gandhi met them on Saturday in New Delhi, but the talks were inconclusive, PTI reported.

Yeddyurappa’s party had got the most seats in the Assembly elections held last month, but the Congress and the JD(S) joined hands to form the government as no party had a majority. The two parties took more than a week to reach consensus over the allocation of ministries in the Cabinet. The Congress got 22 ministries, while the JD(S) got 12.

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On Thursday, several Congress legislators, who did not get Cabinet berths, held meetings in Bengaluru a day after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) inducted 25 ministers in the Cabinet.

“Several disgruntled young leaders and leaders from the Congress and the JD(S) are eager to join the BJP,” Yeddyurappa said. “It is our responsibility to induct those who are disgruntled with the JD(S) and Congress and their style of administration in every Assembly segment, and are willing to join the BJP, thereby strengthening the party in every constituency.”

He urged party workers to work as a strong opposition in the state. “How long this government will function is a different matter, but without aspiring for seat of power, let us all 104 members work as successful opposition with our good work,” said Yeddyurappa, who had taken oath as chief minister but quit two days later, minutes before he was to face a trust vote to prove majority.

After Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with the unhappy Congress MLAs, state Cabinet minister Krishna Byre Gowda told PTI: “We are trying to resolve the differences. The process is on at the moment. No decision has been taken yet.”