Friday, January 27 2006 12:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: In an eleventh-hour bid to save its coalition Government with Janata Dal (JD) Secular (S), Congress today (Jan 27,2006) offered it the 'Maharashtra formula', just before Chief Minister N Dharam Singh is to seek a vote of confidence in the assembly with odds in the number game loaded against him.

Minutes before Singh left for the Assembly session, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary A K Antony said the 'Maharashtra formula' had been offered to the JDS to save the Coalition Government and its response was awaited.

"We are willing to agree for the Maharashtra Government formula. We have agreed for that to save the Government' Antony told reporters after a meeting with the chief minister and KPCC President Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to sources, under the formula as in Maharashtra, the Congress would retain Chief Ministership and allot the portfolios of Home and Water Resource to JDS in exchange for Revenue and Industries held by the latter.

Meanwhile, significantly, JDS, which is facing a revolt by former prime minister H D Devegowda's son, H D Kumaraswamy,is unlikely to issue any whip to its MLAs to vote for the motion.

"There is no move to issue a whip", JDS spokesman Y S V Datta, said, before the assembly session began. Political sources said this means the JDS would not go the whole hog to save its coalition government with Congress.

Continuing its belligerence, the JDS rebel group chief Kumaraswamy, who was elected as the faction's legislature party leader after the revolt, issued a whip asking his MLAs to vote against the motion.

The rebel faction also elected Dr S Andani as their Chief Whip at a meeting, the rebel group sources said.

Asked after his meeting with Antony if he had succeeded in saving his government, Singh said, "I will show it in the house. The house is supreme".

Making last-ditch efforts, Gowda had a meeting with his son and rebel MLAs last night to dissuade them against joining hands with BJP to form an alternative government but it was in vain.

Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had revolted against Gowda and is now heading the All India Progressive Janata Dal, said they would not accept any whip from the rebel group. Siddaramaiah, with whom eight MLAs have identified, said he had asked them not accept the whip.

In the 224-member assembly, BJP has 79 members and its electoral ally JDU five. The JDS rebel group has 39 members with five independents supporting them all together constituting 128, well above the 113 mark required to command majority.