Rein in son, Gowda told

The Congress today appealed to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to rein in his son H D Kumarawamy, who, leading a majority of the Karnataka JD(S) MLAs, has pledged support to the BJP.

Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva today met Gowda to explore ways to save the 20-month-old Dharam Singh government. "It is now up to Deve Gowda to decide if he wants to play a father or be a national leader," Alva said after the hour-long meeting.

Chief Minister Dharam Singh admited though that Gowda's return appeared doubtful and said that he had kept open the "option to exit" before January 27, his deadline for proving majority.

"I believe in miracles," he said. "I personally do not believe that Deve Gowda is behind Kumaraswamy's support of the BJP," he said.

The Congress has told Gowda that if a majority of the JD(S) MLAs support the BJP, it will harm only his party. "The Congress is prepared to sit in the Opposition and go into the next polls as a wronged party," said a senior Congress leader.

Kumaraswamy, however, said he was with the BJP and that there was no question of going back to the Congress alliance.

"I have already made it clear that I am not changing my mind. I have not betrayed my father and have done what I think is the right thing for the people of Karnataka," he said.

The Congress, on its part, is already preparing to project former home minister and current Education Minister Mallikarjun Kharge as its chief ministerial candidate in the next polls.

"It is clear that if Gowda goes to the BJP, it's the beginning of the end of the JD(S) in the state," said a senior Congress leader.