Bangalore: The BJP on Monday proposed a three-point formula to its coalition partner in the Karnataka government on the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project.
The BJP made it clear that the project should not be scrapped, excess land should be handed back to farmers and Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), executors of the project, should take up social responsibility, including building houses for the people who had lost their lands.
Speaking on the issue party Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said the party would convey its stand to JD(S).
"We are sure that they will appreciate our view. In principle, we want the project. Excess land should be identified to be given back to the farmers. Since NICE was expected to make a windfall, they should undertake social responsibility like providing houses to the affected and taking up community services, “ he said.
Asked if the crisis had blown over, Naidu maintained that there was no crisis and "there is no question of anything happening to the government on this (issue). We are working together".
Naidu also met Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, the party state unit President Sadananda Gowda and ministers as part of consultations during which General Secretary Ananth Kumar was also present.
The BMIC project had set off a sudden crisis for the nascent coalition ministry after JD(S) made moves to take over the project before it ran into rough weather with BJP resisting it and favouring only taking back the excess land.
A sharp attack on some BJP state leaders by JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda whom he accused of opposing the move for some "other considerations" fuelled the crisis but it appeared to have dissipated with JD(S) skipping debate at its legislature party meeting last night on the proposed bill for take over.
JD(S) instead decided to make use of the legislature forum with the session that commenced, to expose NICE which, it alleged, possessed excess lands purchased from farmers at a throw away price and the disinformation campaign against Deve Gowda and his family.
The meeting decided to reiterate its stand of opposing the take over the BMIC project, Yediyurappa told reporters.
BJP had cautioned JD(S) that any move to take over the project would attract contempt of court, in the backdrop of Supreme Court order.
The BJP offered to participate in a meeting of the coalition government coordination committee which it demanded should be held in the next three or four days.
Yediyurappa denied any rift between the coalition partners and declared that the government would complete its 40-month term.
Sources said the party leaders took exception to certain remarks made by Deve Gowda on BJP leaders that they were opposing take over for "other considerations".
A senior leader refusing to be named said, the BJP has mooted a formula to resolve the BMIC row which included appointment of a committee led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, to identify the extent of excess land notified for the project.
Later a decision could be taken how to deal with the excess land, whether to return it to farmers by amending the acquisition laws of Karnataka Area Industrial Development Board.
The formula is not acceptable to JDS, the leader said.
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