Congress and BJP exploring possibilities to form Govt

Bangalore, Oct 11(UNI) After the fall of JD(S)-BJP coalition government and imposition of President's rule in Karnataka a serious attempt was being made by both Congress and BJP to come to power taking support from JD(S).

Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who was frown upon after denying an opportunity to succeed H D Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister of the state and spitting fire against JD(S) leaders for betraying, has now extended olive branch to them seeking outside support to form government again. However, the party high command was yet to give green signal to his move.

The BJP leader Yediyurappa, who has embarked on the state-wide tour against JD(S) for 'betraying' the BJP, has urged former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy to give outside support to form the government as a repentence. The Congress leaders taking the advantage of the centre's decision to keep Karnataka assembly in suspended animation were involved in forming next government after engineering split in JD(S). Defending his U-turn on the issue Mr Yediyurappa said that to prevent Congress party's design to regain power through backdoor he was urging JD(S) leaders to give outside support, However, Mr Kumaraswamy who was on tremendous pressure from party legislators to take lead in forging re-alliance with BJP, have reportedly expressed his helplessness as the matter has to be decided by Party's supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Meanwhile the state Congress leaders including KPCC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, Opposition leaders in the legislature N Dharam Singh and H K Patil and former minister D K Shivakumar who met yesterday and explored the possibilities of forming alternate government in the state. The party which had fared badly in the recently concluded Urban local bodies elections was wary in facing early elections if mid-term poll was announced in Karnataka.

A Pall of gloom descended in JD(S) camp as Mr H D Deve Gowda and his beleaguered son H D Kumaraswamy had not met after the fall of the government. While Kumaraswamy was reportedly inclined to forge re-alliance with BJP his father Deve Gowda however had turned down and insisted on facing elections. The disgruntled JD(S) legislators were groping in dark as they felt they were left in the lurch.

Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur, who had recommended for imposition of the president's rule after the fall of popular government has taken reins of the state administration and has convened a high-level meeting of officials tomorrow.

UNI