BJP celebrates victory south of Vindhyas; seeks inv to form govt

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) With the BJP within striking distance of power in Karnataka, jubilant party workers burst crackers at the party headquarters to celebrate the party's entry south of Vindhyas, asking Governor Rameshwar Thakur to lose no time in inviting it to form the government in the state.

BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said that after the present clear verdict in favour of the BJP, the Governor should not waste any time in inviting the BJP to form the government.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, incharge of elections in Karnataka gave the credit to the collective leadership provided by BJP's chief ministerial nominee B S Yeddyurappa, state BJP president Sadananda Gowda and national general secretary Ananth Kumar who had worked as a team after the ''great betrayal'' by the Janata Dal (Secular). "We were clearly the best organised party in the state," he said. As for as his own role in the present elections, he said 'very little role'.

He said the Congress, which hoped to return to power in the state, was on the decline and its campaign lacklustre. The mandate was a vote against opportunism and had given an opportunity for the BJP to provide a good administration, he said.

Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the people of Karnataka had voted against price rise, terrorism and the betrayal of the J D (S).

She said Congress was living under an illusion that Karnataka was their fortress but the BJP was able to breach the bastion.

Meanwhile, top party leaders are having a meeting to take stock of the party's success giving the BJP its first government in the south.

UNI MCN AM KN1321