Monday, January 9 2006 09:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Janata Dal (S) Chief H D Deve Gowda, whose party's ties with ruling coalition partner Congress in Karnataka is under strain, yesterday (Jan 08, 2006) met senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee and is understood to have discussed the political situation in the country, particularly in the state.

The 30-minute one-to-one meeting between the two former Prime Ministers assumes significance as Gowda is reportedly upset with the Congress' attitude towards JD(S), sources said.

A faction of the state Congress led by former Chief Minister (and Maharashtra Governor) S M Krishna is reportedly in favour of the party striking an alliance with Gowda's arch rival Siddaramaiah, who had parted ways with the JD(S) and floated his own Progressive Janata Dal.

BJP is the largest opposition party in the state, having secured the number two position after Congress in the last Assembly elections.

However, Gowda had at that time opted to support the Congress citing secularism as the reason.

The rift between Gowda and the Congress came to the forefront when he publically criticised Infosys chief N R Narayan Murthy on the Bangalore airport project. Gowda had charged Krishna with using Narayan Murthy against him.

Gowda's meeting with Vajpayee is also being seen as a pressure tactic to restrain the Congress from moving closer to Siddaramaiah.

The state unit of BJP too is not said to be keen to have a tie-up with Gowda.