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CM talks of exit, expects a miracle
Dharam's declaration comes before the Congress-JDS ministry faces the floor test in the state Assembly on Jan 27.
Apparently unsure of numbers in the next week's trial of strength, Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh on Friday spoke of an "option to exit".
The declaration comes before the Congress-JDS ministry faces the floor test in the Assembly on January 27.
In the same vein, he also spoke of a "miracle" that may help him win the confidence vote.
"I have an option to exit," said Singh, a day after Governor TN Chaturvedi asked him to prove his strength in the assembly on or before January 27, following the withdrawal of support to his government by JDS rebels led by HD Kumaraswamy, son of JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda.
Singh, whose government has been brought to the precipice by the sudden torrent of political events set off by the actions of the Kumaraswamy group, told reporters that he had not consulted the party high command on the "option to exit".
Emphasising that he cannot take individual decisions, he said, "I will leave the decision to the party high command".
However, the beleaguered Chief Minister expressed optimism about winning the confidence vote, saying, "a miracle can happen".
AICC General Secretary Margaret Alva had a one-hour long meeting with Singh at his official residence, "Krishna", on Friday morning before which the Chief Minister, official sources said, also had a telephonic talk with Congress observer AK Anthony, in charge of party affairs in Karnataka.
The Congress seemed to banking upon Gowda, as Alva told reporters, "everything now rests on JDS President HD Deve Gowda".
Chaturvedi on Thursday said he had taken the decision after receiving different accounts of the support enjoyed by the Congress-led coalition and the combine of the rebel Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that has staked claim to form a new government.
"It is in the interest of justice that these claims are verified. I have, therefore, asked the Chief Minister to face a vote of confidence on or before January 27," Chaturvedi said.
According to him, the Chief Minister wanted to take the trust vote Jan 30 but this was rejected.
