Tuesday, January 24 2006 15:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Remaining non-committal on whether the Congress has any compromise formula to defuse the political crisis in Karnataka, an embattled Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (Jan 24, 2006) said he pinned hopes on the crucial meeting between Congress President Sonia Gandhi and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda in New Delhi to find a solution.

"Top leaders of the Congress, including Sonia Gandhi, have invited Gowda for talks. It is a good development. I don't want to say anything further. Whatever decision the Congress High Command takes, I will abide by it", he told reporters.

Gandhi and Gowda are expected to meet in a day or two. Singh, who did not give a specific reply to a question on whether he hoped that the Congress would stand by him and if he was hopeful of saving his government, reiterated that the party high command would take a decision.

However, he hastened to add that he was confident of proving majority on the floor of the Assembly on January 27.

Singh, who said he had a telephonic talk with Gowda yesterday but refused to share the details, however hoped that the former Prime Minister, who has been wedded to a secular ideology, would not opt for an alliance with BJP at this stage.

Singh said several Congress leaders from the state expressed their opinion at a meeting of top leaders of the party at Hyderabad on how to save the coalition government.

Singh, who ruled out resigning ahead of the vote of confidence, remarked, "politics is a waiting game. We have to wait till the climax".

Gowda supported the Congress-led coalition government, despite many hiccups, he said, adding, "I hope he will continue his anti-BJP ideology".