Date:02/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/02/stories/2007050201880600.htm

Karnataka

Karnataka unit of BJP calls for meeting of coordination panel

Special Correspondent

Party wants to spike rumours about trouble between coalition partners

BANGALORE: The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to urge Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to convene a meeting of the coalition coordination committee this week to clear the air in the wake of rumours that the Janata Dal (Secular) might once again enter into a pact with the Congress.

"The reality is that there are no problems between the coalition partners or in the Government. However, such speculation will create confusion among people. Therefore, we want a message of unity to be sent across the State through the coordination committee," BJP spokesperson S. Suresh Kumar told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Such speculation, if not cleared, will affect the image of the Government and also overshadow its achievements. Therefore the coordination committee should give the right message to the people at the earliest, he said.

At the same time, he denied the statement made by JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda that the BJP was against re-categorising reservation for the Other Backward Classes. "The BJP is very much in favour of providing internal reservation," he said. The party was ready to hold discussions with any of the JD(S) leaders, including Mr. Gowda, on the subject.

Mr. Kumar took exception to Mr. Gowda's allegation that the BJP was trying to "hoodwink" the poor. "Our main aim is to use political power to help the poor. Such allegations have hurt the ordinary workers of the BJP," he said. The BJP leader also observed that making such comments would create confusion not only among the people but also among bureaucrats.

Mr. Kumar blamed the Opposition Congress for being responsible for the confusion. Congress leaders were yet to digest the fact that they had lost power. "Let the Congress learn to behave like an Opposition party and Dharam Singh as an Opposition leader," he remarked.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa returned to Bangalore from Delhi on Tuesday.