Newindpress

Bangalore, Oct 5: The Congress in Karnataka is slowly having a change of heart and is letting bygones be bygone. The party is seen increasingly veering to supporting the JD(S) in case the BJP withdraws support to the government.

"We will step in only when this happens," a senior Congress told this website's newspaper.

The party is also waiting for a haan or naa from Sonia Gandhi. Senior leaders say she may use the Narasimha Rao formula to prop the JD(S) till the general elections. It would give external support to a minority government led by Kumaraswamy as it does not want immediate elections to the Assembly. The Congress prefers to ensure that the JD(S) government continues till mid-term Lok Sabha elections sometime in 2008.

"This plan will be executed only after the BJP implements its plan of Ministers submitting their resignations to the Governor and withdrawing the party’s support to the JD(S) after October 6," sources said.

Congress leaders, both at the Centre and the State, are well aware of the consequences of this move. The immediate impact will be the consolidation of castes and communities on political equations. Lingayats, a dominant community, will support the BJP. Kurubas, a dominant backward community, will work against the Congress for not heeding to Siddaramaiah, who has been opposing joining hands with the JD(S).

"We expect this development. But minorities, SCs and STs will stay with us and we can expect fringe support from various quarters," claimed sources in Congress.