In a dramatic turnaround, BJP and JD(S) which had parted ways earlier this month in Karnataka have joined hands again to stake claim to form the government in the state. Today, leaders of both the parties submitted separate letters supporting each other to the governor Rameshwar Thakur. Both parties have sought permission from the governor to prove that they have the majority to form the government. The move comes hours after JD(S) party supremo H D Deve Gowda met BJP leaders in New Delhi. Gowda has made it clear that the party would forge partnership with the national democratic alliance (NDA) for the next Parliamentary elections. Earlier in the day, BJP legislature party and the JD(S) legislature party held separate meetings and prepared the letters of support. "We have decided to form the government. We have offered our support to the BJP to form the coalition setup in the state. We are awaiting the official response from governor," former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said after meeting the governor. As per earlier agreement between BJP and JD(S), power has to be now transfered to the former. B S Yediyurappa who had served as the deputy chief minister in the coalition government earlier is likely to take over as chief minister. "However, it is too early to say whether BJP will have a chief minister. Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha had proposed a formula under which JD(S) would continue to retain the chief minister's post by joining the NDA. The issue over who will be the next chief minister (JD(S) or BJP) will be cleared once Deve Gowda returns to Bangalore. We are not aware of the deal struck by Gowda with BJP," a former minister and senior JD(S) leader said. It is said that Gowda moved quickly to forge alliance with BJP after rebellion within the party became strong. Defying Gowda, former deputy chief minister and senior JD(S) leader M P Prakash met Congress leader Siddaramaiah (who was with JD(S) earlier) on Friday to discuss the possibility of forming the government with Congress. Prakash had claimed that he had the support of 30 MLAs. Gowda saw this as an attempt by the Congress to split the JD(S). "If the JD(S) had split with a faction led by M P Prakash, it would have been the end of JD(S). Gowda did not want that to happen. Since majority of the JD(S) MLAs were in favour of honouring the agreement made by Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, he decided to align with the BJP," the senior JD(S) leader pointed out. While all the BJP legislators have signed the letter of support, only 40 MLAs from JD(S) have expressed their support in the letter submitted to the governor. It excludes 8 legislators who have identified themselves with M P Prakash and another eight who are Siddaramaiah's supporters. Now all eyes are on the governor for the next step.
