SHIMOGA: Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said here on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (S) coalition Government would continue even if the BJP got a clear majority in the coming election.

Addressing a public meeting as part of the "Vikas Yatra" which arrived here, he said he would assure Janata Dal (S) president H.D. Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that the coalition Government by the BJP and the Janata Dal (S) would continue even if his party gained a clear majority. He said the BJP-Janata Dal (S) coalition was committed to the implementation of all programmes chalked out under the Common Minimum Programme.

He said neither he nor the Chief Minister had crossed the "Lakshman Rekha" in the implementation of these programmes.

He said: "I am prepared to change my name if anybody proves that a single bill has remained unpaid by the Government."

He wondered how the previous Congress Government failed to trace such vast resources.

Irrigation project

Referring to the controversial Dandavati Irrigation Project, he said he did not understand why Shimoga MP S. Bangarappa and his son and MLA from Sorab were opposed to the project.

Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa who came down heavily on what he called the minority appeasement policy of the Congress said the Congress would lose in the next election.

State BJP president D.V. Sadananda Gowda said the BJP would grow in strength as the result of its "Vikas Yatra".

Former Shimoga MP Ayanur Manjunath said Mr. Bangarappa and his son who had done little for the development of their hometown Sorab were now opposing the Dandavati project for no valid reason. He challenged Mr. Bangarappa to contest from the Shimoga Assembly constituency in the next election.

Minister for Higher Education D.H. Shankaramurthy, Minister for Small Industries Shivanand Naik, party MLAs Araga Jnanendra and C.T. Ravi, MLC Shobha Karandajle, former MLC Shantaveerappa Gowda, president of the district unit of the party Girish Patel, Bhanu Prakash, S.S. Jyothi Prakash and the former MLA Chandrakanth Bellad.

A rousing reception was accorded to the yatra when it arrived at Sahyadri College.

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