Bangalore: Deputy Chief Minister-designate B.S. Yediyurappa has said that the new Government will concentrate on the all-round development of the State and refrain from doing anything that will mar the image of the coalition.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Yediyurappa said his statement on Hindutva has been distorted. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will make use of the opportunity to serve the cause of the poor and improve their living conditions.

Allaying fears among sections of the minorities, he said the new Government will protect the interests of all citizens, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

Mr. Yediyurappa said the coalition partners, the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular), will have a coordination committee and will work out a common minimum programme to avoid differences.

The BJP leader, accompanied by Chief Minister-designate H.D. Kumaraswamy, called on Sri Satya Sai Baba at Whitefield. Sai Baba spent one hour with the two leaders in his ashram.

Mr. Yediyurappa said that contrary to the earlier plan, the Council of Ministers will not be constituted in one go. It will be done in three or four stages. Only Mr. Kumaraswamy and he will take the oath of office as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively on Friday. After that a formal Cabinet meeting will be held to look into administrative matters that need urgent attention. He also hinted that Mr. Kumaraswamy will seek a vote of confidence on February 6, though several dates are being discussed.

The decision on having a full complement of ministers, appointment of chairpersons to boards and corporations and sorting out certain other problems would have been completed by now, but for impediments such as the case before the Karnataka High Court, he said.

Asked whether the coalition would follow the Maharashtra model or the Jammu and Kahsmir model on power sharing, Mr. Yediyurappa said they will evolve their own model, which should be emulated by others.

The National Democratic Alliance Government headed by A.B. Vajpayee, he recalled, did not harass any alliance partner during its six-year rule.

The posts of chairpersons of boards and corporations will be decided after discussions between the two parties. Before that, Mr. Yediyurappa said, the BJP leaders will hold a meeting on the issue.

`Natural growth'

Terming the coming together of the BJP and the JD(S) to form a coalition government an organic and natural growth, party spokesman S. Suresh Kumar said the BJP attaches great importance to this event [formation of the government].

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