BJP tripped JD (S) bid for power in Karnataka

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) The BJP today conceded that there was an effort to save Karnataka from slipping into President's Rule but asserted that the party leadership strongly wanted to encash the wave of public sympathy in the light of the Janata Dal (Secular) reneging on the agreement on transfer of power on October 3.

BJP spokesman Ravishankar Prasad said former Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who commenced his state-wide 'yatra' at Tumkur yesterday, was called for discussions by the JD (S) through some ''informal channels''.

Mr Yediyurappa communicated the proposal received from the JD (S) to BJP in-charge Yashwant Sinha before proceeding to Bangalore, Mr Prasad added.

The BJP leadership, however, felt that it was better to cash in on the public perception for being victimised by the JD (S), which refused to honour the political pact entered into with the BJP. The party told Mr Yediyurappa that the offer ''has come too late'', adding it had waited till October 6, three days beyond the stipulated date of October 3 for the power transfer, he said.

However, sources said the reason behind the JD (S) wanting to share power was more to ''stem dissidence'' from within the party fold at a time when a number of MLAs belonging to powerful Lingayat community had started deserting it.

This was the reason JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had been appealing to Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur to dissolve the Assembly immediately, said the sources and added that going to the people was the best option available to the party.

UNI