Gowda hints at mid-term election

Karnataka: Karnataka may be headed for mid-term polls. In a CNN-IBN exclusive interview, Deve Gowda, whose JD(S) — Janata Dal Secular — is a part of the ruling Coalition in the state, says that he is ready to pull out of the Coalition.

"When we formed the Coalition we had reached a certain understanding. That understanding is no longer there," he said.

However, he added that he will not withdraw support without informing the Prime Minister and the Congress President.

"I will come to Delhi and meet the party leaders and inform them of my decision then," he stated.

Gowda told CNN-IBN that he is ready to go in for snap polls in the state. In response, the Karnataka State Congress Committee said that they were ready to take up Deve Gowda's challenge.

Congress spokesperson, Jayanti Natrajan has said that these problems crop up when the ruling party is a coalition. "We will sort it out between us", he added.

Many feel that Deve Gowda's meeting with BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday could be a pressure tactic on the Congress to restrain the party from moving closer to his arch rival Siddaramaiah, who had parted ways with the JD(S) and floated his own Progressive Janata Dal.

Gowda and Vajpayee discussed the political situation in the country in their 30-minute meeting.

Gowda is reportedly upset with the Congress' attitude towards JD(S).

A faction of the state Congress, led by former Chief Minister S M Krishna, is reportedly in favour of the party striking an alliance with Siddaramaiah.

The rift between Gowda and the Congress came to the forefront when the former Prime Minister had publically criticised Infosys chief, N R Narayamurthy, on the Bangalore airport project.

However, BJP bigwigs say that the party is not too keen to ally with JD(S).

In the 2004 elections, BJP had emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka but had been unable to form the government.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M Mallikarjun Kharge has also said that they are not ready to take the first step.

"The Congress High Command will take the appropriate decision," he said.

The Karnataka State Congress Committee earlier said the party is ready for snap polls, taking up Deve Gowda's challenge.

However, Chief Minister Dharam Singh was more cautious.

"I have just got the news that Deve Gowda might want to withdraw support. I will discuss everything with my high command and then I will talk to Deve Gowda. Only then will I decide on a course of action," he said.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance has been uncomfortable since it was formed.

Till now everything has been left to the Congress High Command but it is clear that Deve Gowda wants to maintain his stronghold in the Karnataka government.

There are speculations that Kharge might become the next Chief Minister of Karanataka and these tactics might be Gowda's way of avoiding that eventuality.