JD(S) and BJP legislators appear before Governor

Bangalore, Oct 29 (UNI) In a solidarity move, 129 Members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly -- 80 from Bharatiya Janata Party and 49 from Janata Dal(Secular), today appeared before Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur and demanded that Joint Legislature Party leader B S Yeddyurappa be invited to form the new government.

The legislators, who reached Raj Bhavan in four private buses this evening, physically presented themselves to convince the Governor that the numbers needed for Mr Yeddyurappa to form the new government was adequate.

Later emerging out of the nearly two hours long meeting, Karnataka BJP Chief Sadananda Gowda and JD(S) President Merajuddin Patel expressed confidence that the Governor would act in the next 24 hours.

The leaders also submitted a copy of the resolution electing Mr Yeddyurappa as the Joint Legislature Party leader by the two parties at a meeting held earlier in the day. The JD(S) also submitted another letter expressing unconditional support to the BJP to form the government.

Asked to comment whether former senior JD(S) leader Mr Prakash's rebellion would pose a problem in forming the government, the leaders said they had sufficient numbers to do so.

A large number of anxious party workers and enthusiasts gathered in front Raj Bhavan paralysing traffic for some time. The party workers burst crackers soon after the leaders came out of the main gate after the meeting.

UNI