Wednesday, January 18 2006 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Striking a cautious posture, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Jan 18,2006) said it was watching the political situation in Karnataka and maintained that it has not struck any deal with the Janata Dal (JD) Secular (S) on forming an alternative Government with it.

"We have nothing to say. JDS and Congress have a coalition arrangement. The coalition Government is (still) there in place. How can we make any comment now", BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu, who was rushed here from New Delhi to guide the party's state leaders following fresh strain in the Congress-JDS relations, told reporters.

Asked about reports that the BJP and JDS legislators led by H D Kumaraswamy, son of JDS supremo H D Devegowda, had already struck a power-sharing deal, he replied in the negative.

"There seems to be uneasiness in the coalition government. All is not well", he said, adding, the party had therefore sent him to Bangalore to 'guide' the state unit in the unfolding political situation.

"I do not know whether they (JDS) are withdrawing (the support) or not", Naidu said, when asked about speculation that the JDS legislators might give the letter of withdrawal of support to the governor today itself.

He also refused to comment if the BJP was open to the idea of forming an alternative government with JDS, saying, "How can we say (it) now", implying that the coalition government still existed and the question would arise only in the event of its collapse.

"JDS is still in partnership with Congress. Let us see", he said.

Naidu said no talks had been held with Devegowda on the political scene in Karnataka and his meeting with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee last week was only a 'courtesy call'.