BJP takes back support to JD(S)

It's curtains down on the BJP-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka with the BJP parliamentary board deciding to withdraw support to the 20-month-old government.

The political affairs committee of the JD(S) had yesterday decided not to transfer power to the BJP. The decision was conveyed by senior JD(S) leader and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to BJP President Rajnath Singh late last night.

While Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy declared he would seek a vote of confidence from the state legislature on October 18, the political affairs committee resolved against such a move. "Our intention is to go for people's mandate," Gowda said. A final decision on this is awaited.

The BJP, on its part, termed the JD(S) move as a "worst sort of political betrayal." Party leader Venkaiah Naidu, who was closely involved with the formation of the alliance, said the BJP would hold a rally in Bangalore on October 18.

At yesterday's meeting between Gowda and Singh at Rajya Sabha MP and corporate honcho Rajiv Chandrashekhar's home, Gowda spoke for an hour and forty minutes on his "betrayal" by the BJP. According to sources, he complained bitterly that senior Karnataka BJP leader Ananth Kumar and Naidu frequently humiliated his son HD Kumaraswamy throughout the latter's 20-month tenure.

"He mentioned all sorts of instances of such interference and asked Rajnathji if his son could be expected to hand over power to a party whose MLA accused him of attempt to murder," said an aide. Singh asked Gowda why he was refusing to allow BS Yediurappa to become chief minister. "At this, Gowda said the BJP had taken things too far," said the aide.

With the Congress having already demanded that the government prove its strength, the state seems headed for polls.