The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP leaders not for tie-up with JD(U)

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Sunday, Mar 30, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP leaders not for tie-up with JD(U)

Special Correspondent

JD(U) keen on having a tie-up with BJP
It may seek 80 seats in the Assembly elections

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit, which recently rejected the request by the AIADMK for an alliance with it in Karnataka, is learnt to have decided against aligning with the Janata Dal (U) also.

Janata Dal (U) State unit president B. Somashekhar and party MLC M. P. Nadagouda on Saturday met BJP national general secretary and Karnataka polls in-charge Arun Jaitley and requested him to extend their national-level poll alliance to the State-level.

Mr. Somashekhar told The Hindu that the meeting was cordial and Mr. Jaitley had told them that the BJP had an open mind on their request. The JD (U) general secretary G.K.C. Reddy said the party, through its central leaders, would demand 80 seats to be left for its candidates.

However, sources in the BJP said the party State unit was firm that it should go it alone in the polls. “We have already communicated our decision to our central leaders,” BJP sources said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jaitley had his second-round of brainstorming session with party State leaders regarding their poll preparations on Saturday in Bangalore.

Mr. Jaitley had commenced the consultations regarding polls last week. A senior party functionary said that Mr. Jaitley was happy with the party’s poll preparations.

As part of the poll preparations, the BJP had now decided to hold workshops for members of different wings regarding poll preparations from April 5.

Mr, Jaitley, who left for Delhi on Saturday evening, will return to Bangalore on April 5 and review the party’s poll preparations.

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