Governor seeks letter of support from Gowda

Bangalore, Oct 30 (UNI) Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur is understood to have sought a letter from Janata Dal (Secular) President H D Deve Gowda clarifying his stand with regard to extending support to the BJP in forming a government.

Mr Thakur conveyed this to JD(S) and BJP Joint Legislature Party leader B S Yeddyurappa and BJP State Chief D V Sadananda Gowda, who met him following his summon in the evening.

According to sources, party leaders have gone to Mr Gowda's residence to collect the necessary letter.

On October 24, Mr Gowda had written a letter urging the Governor to dissolve the Assembly as ''keeping in suspended animation may lead to horse trading' by political parties.

Talking to reporters after meeting the Governor, Mr Yeddyurappa, quoting the Governor, said that he (the Governor) had verified the letters submitted to him yesterday by 129 legislators.

''The Governor will send his recommendation to the Centre and I expect that we may be invited to form the government within next two days,'' he added.

To build pressure on the Centre, Mr Sadananda Gowda, Mr Yeddyurappa, Mr Anant Kumar, MP, and some of the legislators from both BJP and JD(S) left here for New Delhi. They are expected to meet the President or in her absence the Prime Minister and urge for an early action by the Governor.

Mr Yeddyurappa said there was no change in the joint agitation planned by both the BJP and JD(S) from tomorrow to protest against the Governor's 'inordinate delay' in inviting the parties to form the government. However, the venue had been changed from Rajbhavan to Mahatma Gandhi statue, following at the request of the Governor.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj was likely to arrive in the City tomorrow and address the participants at the protest rally.

UNI