by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Bangalore, June 14: The BMIC project seems to have caused cracks in the Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-BJP coalition government.

The Chief Minister, terribly upset over his failure to bring the draft Bill for the take over of BMIC project before the Cabinet yesterday due to opposition from the coalition partner BJP, is learnt to have told the BJP leaders that he would quit if the BJP did not co-operate for introduction of the Bill within two days.

Meanwhile, H.D. Kumaraswamy has also called the meeting of JD(S) LP to discuss the situation on June 18 (It was originally scheduled to be held today).

According to some sources, the possibilities of JD(S) preferring dissolution of Assembly are also not ruled out.

The Chief Minister, who held consultations with his party colleagues till late in the night yesterday, reportedly sent the message to Dy. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in this regard.

The BJP has agreed for the resumption of excess land from NICE, while the Chief Minister wants to take over the project.

Sources also said that Yediyurappa had evolved a formula to save the situation. The formula is that NICE should voluntarily surrender the excess land to facilitate the Government to allow the project to continue. It is said that the Chief Minister has accepted the formula.

BJP sources said that the deputy chief minister has already begun negotiations over the formula with the NICE Managing Director Ashok Kheny.

The Chief Minister is learnt to have told the Dy. Chief Minister that he would not want to continue as Chief Minister as he may face contempt case if the Government failed to implement the Supreme Court order regarding allotment of land to NICE.

He is unwilling to head a Government which allots land to NICE. "Let any Government do it. I will not be a party to it," the Chief Minister is reported to have told the BJP bosses.