Date:05/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/05/stories/2005080508140500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP ready to cooperate with JD(S): Shettar

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday continued its efforts to form a government if the upheaval in the Janata Dal (Secular) leads to the fall of the Dharam Singh Government.

Taking a cue from the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, B.S. Yediyurappa, the President of the State unit of the party, Jagadish Shettar, told presspersons that no legislator, including those from his party is interested in midterm elections. They are for an alternative arrangement if the existing one collapses. His party will wait and watch. However, he said that no discussion has taken place with the Janata Dal (S) President, H.D. Deve Gowda, in this regard.

The BJP, he said, is ready to cooperate with the JD(S) if there is a request from that party. The situation is favourable to the BJP and it will utilise the opportunity to its advantage. Being the single largest party after the elections, the BJP could have formed a government had not the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) come together, he added.

It is stated that the Uttarahalli MLA, R. Ashok, who identifies himself with the Ananth Kumar camp, took the initiative on Thursday and favours supporting a JD (S) government from outside.

Meanwhile, another group of legislators from the Ananth Kumar camp met here and discussed the chances of supporting the JD (S) to form a government without joining it. Mr. Yediyurappa, who held a meeting of some 40 MLAs on Wednesday, declared that the party is ready to form a government, sending shockwaves across the party.