Disgusted over the manner in which their party leadership handled the revival of JD(S) - BJP coalition, which ultimately led to the fall of the Government, at least 25 MLAs are planning to quit JD (S) soon.

That is the reason why former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy announced yesterday that he was planning to float a new regional party in order to retain their party colleagues with him.
According to sources, they would leave the party soon after the Parliament ratifies the dissolution of the State Assembly.

Sources close to the camps of former Ministers Cheluvarayaswamy and M.P. Prakash said that many of the MLAs including eight Lingayats may join BJP while others may join either Congress or BSP.

Some of them would contest the election as Independent candidates. The issue was prominently discussed at the two separate meetings of MLAs held yesterday at the residences of Prakash and Cheluvarayaswamy.

The dissidents in JD(S) are already in touch with BJP and Congress camps. BJP leaders and MLAs, who were in the residence of Yeddyurappa yesterday, were openly mentioning the names of JD(S) men who were planning to join BJP.

Party President D. V. Sadananda Gowda told the media yesterday that he was expecting at least 20 MLAs to leave JD (S).

Balakrishna (Magadi) and Santhosh Lad are prominent among the JD (S) MLAs to join BJP. Former Minister H. S. Mahadevaprasad is learnt to have made up his mind to join Congress (Gundlupet constituency).

Former Minister M. P. Prakash, who had revolted against JD (S) supremo and attempted to form Government in coalition with Congress, would join Bahujan Samaj Party along with P. G. R. Sindhya. They also expect former Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah to leave Congress where he is unlikely to get any prominent position in near future due to the recent amendment to the party's constitution.

Leaders said that the BJP leadership would start working out strategies today to woo the JD (S) MLAs.

According to sources, these JD (S) MLAs had got the hint that JD (S) supremo Deve Gowda was planning to deny tickets to them in the next elections. These MLAs are not prepared to trust Kumaraswamy though he has promised to launch his own party breaking away from his father H. D. Deve Gowda. Former Minister Amaregowda Bayyapura (Lingsugur), Suryanarayana Reddy (Bellary), Vishwanath Hebbar (Chithapur), B. C. Patil (Hirekerur) and N. Rajanna (Bellavi) have decided to join BJP. Those joining BJP also include Janjamuri (Tiptur), M. Y. Patil (Afzalpur) and Muniyappa Muddappa (Kalmala).

Former Minister R. Sreenivas (Mulabagal) and D. Nagarajaiah (Huliyurudurgee) are planning to contest as Independent candidates while M. L. Khuba (Basavakalyan) though decided to leave JD (S) is yet to choose his options.

Datta denies reports:
JD (S) spokesperson Y. S. V. Datta denied the reports that Kumaraswamy would launch a new party. He said that Kumaraswamy and M. P. Prakash together would lead the JD (S) under the guidance of H. D. Deve Gowda.

Courtesy: Star of Mysore