Saturday, January 21 2006 15:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Banking hopes on his party higher ups to save his tottering coalition government following a Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) faction pulling out support, an embattled Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (Jan 21, 2006) said the Congress High Command has stepped into act to defuse the situation.

"The Congress leadership is very serious about the political developments that has gripped the state and have been holding parleys with concerned people (JDS leaders)", Singh told reporters here trying mask to the tension-filled moments he was going through in the wake of the political turmoil.

Singh said he has appraised the developments to the Congress President Sonia Gandhi when he had a telephonic talk with her this morning and added "High Command is bound to take a decision".

Singh hoped that the volatile situation triggered off by the JDS revolt which has staked claim to form a government with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) support would be "defused by January 27", the day he would seek a trust vote on the floor of the state assembly in consonance with the request by the Governor T N Chaturvedi.

"Congress is on a strong foot, because, the Congress-JDS coalition government was formed to keep away BJP out of power following an agreement between Sonia Gandhi and JDS chief H D Deve Gowda" Singh said.

Top leaders of Congress have been in touch with Gowda to find a solution.

Responding to a query whether he has any option before him to save the situation, Singh replied in the negative, but hastened to add that he still trusted Gowda.