Monday, November 14 2005 15:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda today (Nov 13, 2005) asserted his party was ready to face 'any eventuality', as he accused a section of its ruling coalition partner, Congress, of persistently trying to topple the government in the state.

Reaffirming that JDS was trying its best not to destabilise the coalition government, the former Prime Minister, however, charged that some Congress leaders had been 'throttling' it right from day one.

"Using every opportunity, some persons want to bring down this government. It is left to the elder brother (Congress) to decide," he said at a public meeting after he was unanimously re-elected the party president at the conclusion of its Plenary Session at the Palace Grounds here.

He asked the party workers to be prepared to "rise to any occasion and whatever circumstances" JDS might face.

Gowda said he had told Congress President Sonia Gandhi how the coalition government was being 'throttled' by some leaders of her own party.

"From that day itself, I have decided how to strengthen the party and am prepared for any eventuality". "I have self-drawn the Lakshman Rekha," the JDS chief said, hinting that the onus was on the Congress also to reciprocate it by following the 'coalition dharma'.

Reviewing the national political scene, Gowda said the coalition era had started in 1996 when he headed the United Front government and the same trend would continue in future.