BJP parts ways with JD(S)

In a sudden and completely unexpected move late Saturday, the BJP ditched its partner, the JD(S) by withdrawing support to the KDF coalition government. Presiding over a hurriedly convened press conference, the party's senior leader and Deputy Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said he and his party's Ministers had resigned en masse as they were hurt by the constant criticism of their party by JD(S) leader and former PM Deve Gowda.

According to party sources, the divide between the JD(S) and the BJP intensified after Sri Deve Gowda's recent overtures to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Recently, Sri Gowda had a prolonged meeting in New Delhi with Sonia Gandhi, leading to speculations of a new alliance between the two. Immediately after holding parleys with Mrs Gandhi, Sri Deve Gowda held a press conference where he launched a no holds barred attack on the BJP. This confirmed to the Karnataka State BJP that Sri Gowda was getting ready to pull the run from under their feet.

According to sources close to the BJP, the Dy CM was convinced that a conspiracy was afoot to see that he would not take over from the current Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as CM in November, as per the arrangement between the two coalition partners. So he decided that rather than wait for Gowda to undo the government, the BJP would itself walk out from the government and by sitting in the opposition, expose the nefarious designs of Sri Gowda.