Prakash refuses to budge and decides to meet Governor

Bangalore, Oct 29 (UNI) Undaunted by the pressure exerted by the Janata Dal (Secular) leadership, rebel leader and former home minister M P Prakash today decided to call on Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur and seek his claim to form the new government with the help of Congress in the state.

In another new twist to the ongoing political drama marked by rapid developments, Mr Prakash and several Congress leaders huddled in the house of a former minister and discussed the future strategy to prevent the BJP-JD(S) combine from forming the government.

Interestingly, the Joint Legislature Party meeting of both JD(S) and BJP was postponed to evening and the leaders, accompanied by their party leaders, were expected to meet the Governor at a fixed time.

JD(S) spokesman Y S Datta, after meeting BJP leaders including B S Yeddyurappa at his residence here, later told newsmen that the individual letters signed by 121 legislators-- 79 from BJP and 42 from JD(S) had been submitted by party leaders Sadananda Gowda and Meerajuddin Patel of BJP and JD(S) respectively. The legislators would be personally present in the evening when the leaders call on the Governor, he added.

Replying to a question, Mr Sadananda Gowda said the Governor had agreed for the presentation of the legislators before him in the evening.

He said ''We have appealed to the Governor to recommend to the Centre to convene a cabinet meeting and get necessary approval for the BJP-JD(S) combine to form the government.'' UNI