The Hindu : Front Page : BJP gives the green signal

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Sunday, Oct 28, 2007
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BJP gives the green signal

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh on Saturday gave the green signal for the formation of a government in Karnataka headed by its legislature party leader B.S. Yediyurappa. It will be the first BJP-led regime in the south.

The breakthrough came after Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda talked to him over telephone and agreed to give the BJP “unconditional support” and implement fully the agreement the two coalition partners had arrived at almost 21 months ago. The coalition collapsed earlier this month after the JD(S) refused to transfer Chief Ministership to the BJP, leading to the BJP withdrawing support to the Kumaraswamy government.

Mr. Singh, who is in Lucknow, confirmed over telephone that Mr. Gowda had spoken to him and he had given the go-ahead. BJP leaders here told reporters that as the decision for withdrawal of support to the JD(S) was taken by the BJP Parliamentary Board, Mr. Singh consulted its members including L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, before conveying his approval to the JD(S).

Another board member, M. Venkaiah Naidu, was in Bangalore and he helped to coordinate the State leadership’s moves with those of the high command.

BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said here that the JD(S) “promised in writing” to support a government headed by Mr. Yediyurappa.

A group of JD (S) legislators, which was trying to cobble up a coalition with the Congress, rushed back to Bangalore. Its leader M.P. Prakash recalled that Mr. Gowda sent a letter to the President asking for fresh elections.

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