BJP secures support from all six Independents: waits for inv

Bangalore, May 27 (UNI) With the support of all the six Independents in Karnataka in its kitty, the BJP was waiting today for Governor Rameshwar Thakur's invitation to form its first ever Government in the South.

The party, which fell short of a simple majority by three seats, winning 110, has been able to get the support of all the six Independents, five of whom were paraded before the Governor last night when its leaders staked claim to form the government.

The Independent members were D Sudhakara (Hiriyur), Narendraswamy (Malavalli), Shivaraj Tangadagi (Kanakagiri), P Venkatramanappa (Pavagadda) and Goolihuti Shekhar (Hosadurga).

The sixth Independent Varthur Prakash (Kolar) also joined the bandwagon of his other colleagues today and met senior BJP leaders, including BJP Legislature Party leader B S Yeddyurappa, to offer his support.

Mr Prakash told UNI that he had decided to support the BJP as it had won the mandate of the people in the elections to Karnataka Assembly.

Claiming that his support to BJP government would be 'unconditional,' Mr Prakash, however, mentioned that the only demand he had placed before Mr Yeddyurappa was to bring Cauvery water to meet the drinking water need of Kolar town which was facing acute shortage.

''I have decided to function as an Associate member of the BJP Legislature Party,''he said.

Mr Prakash, had contested as a rebel Congress candidate as he could not get the party nomination.

He had earlier said that he would support the Congress in forming the new government provided his leader former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was made the Chief Minister. But he changed his stand as the Congress had not taken any decision to form government with the support of JD(S).

The Congress had won 80 seats while the other principal opposition party JD(S) secured 28 seats, less than half the seats it had won in the 2004 Assembly elections.

UNI MV VK RP US1449