JD-S looks to form government with Congress now

The Janata Dal-Secular does not seem to give up. When the whole state thought that political uncertainty has finally come to an end and elections will be declared, senior JD-S leader M P Prakash has sprung a surprise.

He said on Wednesday that his party is ready to form a government in Karnataka provided the Congress takes the initiative. The statement comes after the Congress had given Deve Gowda the snub in New Delhi.

The Congress had made it clear that it would not want to form the government with the JD-S and added that the political uncertainty could be put to rest only through elections.

Prakash said there was still a chance to form the government in Karnataka and both the JD-S and the Congress could join hands. He however made it clear that this would be possible only if the Congress made the first move.

Political experts say it is difficult for the Congress and the JD-S to form a government at the moment. The Congress will be worried about the Gowda factor and would not want to involve itself as long as the grand old man of the JD-S is even remotely connected with the government.

The only possibility would be for Prakash to break away from the JD-S and offer his hand to the Congress. However a big question is being raised over Prakash's support within the party. In a recent interview, he had said that only he, apart from H D Kumaraswamy, was capable of splitting the party.

Sources within the Congress say this is a new ploy by Gowda and this time, he is making Prakash the face of the party. Gowda is aware that no one will trust his son Kumaraswamy or him after the last minute ditching they gave the Bharatiya Janata Party.