BJP, Cong MLAs want HDK to continue: Ansari

Bangalore, Jun 6: While sticking to his stand that he will not join the BJP led alliance government, Karnataka Minister for Labour and JD(S) leader Iqbal Ansari today said many BJP and Congress legislators were in close touch with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, working for the latter's continuance in office.

Talking to newsmen after participating in the Sixth Conference of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, here, he said there were all possibilities of Mr Kumaraswamy continuing as Chief Minister even after completion of the 20 month term on October 3.

Mr Ansari, who had made the remark in the presence of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy at an election meeting in Ullal bypoll recently that the latter will continue in the office even after completion of 20 months, reiterated that many of the legislators belonging to Congress and BJP were in close touch with top JD(S) leaders.

Mr Ansari said efforts were being made to ensure continuance of Mr Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister. However, he refused to divulge the names of those BJP and Congress MLAs who were behind it. ''This is not the right time to disclose the MLAs names,'' he said.

UNI