Prakash jettisons his coalition efforts with Cong

New Delhi, Oct 27 (UNI) Senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader M P Prakash, who was tipped to head a possible Congress-JD(S) coalition, today jettisoned his efforts midway to cobble an alternative coalition with the Congress following 'sudden and unexpected' decision of the JD(S) Legislature Party (JDLP) to support BJP's B S Yediyurappa as the next Chief Minister.

Mr Prakash, who was authorised by the JDLP to hold talks with the Congress for forming an alternative coalition under his leadership virtually questioned former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's action to convene the meeting all of a sudden without requisite notices to the MLAs, many of whom were in their villages.

''There is a procedure to call a JDLP meeting and I can't comment on media reports without knowing facts,'' he said.

He said he was here in response to the JDLP resolution authorising him to hold talks and since such 'unexpected and unpredictable' decision had been taken, there was no point in holding talks. "I am returning back to Bangalore," he said.

He said he had credible information that JD(S) President and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda had written letters to Karnataka Governor and Prime Minister seeking dissolution of the State Assembly and it should be complied with, he added.

Asked if this would mean a split in the BJP, Mr Prakash said his perception was that he had the 'support' of the party to carry out JDLP orders and he was not a votary for splitting the party. Only today, Mr Kumaraswamy had spoken of supporting him as chief ministerial candidate with the Congress coalition. "He is my good friend and a well wisher. I think he will stick to his words," he said.

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