The Karnataka unit of the party has been strongly opposed to the merger of Lok Shakti and Samata Party with the Janata Dal and the decision of the new formation to be a part of National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The BJP state unit had right from beginning been cool to chief minister J H Patel's overtures to have a tie-up with the party as it felt the electorate had been disenchanted with the Janata Dal government's performance and any poll arrangement with it would cost BJP heavily. However, it was of the view that BJP and Lok Shakti alliance would have been able to wrest majority of the assembly as well as Lok Sabha seats in the state. Also, it would have had no problem in seat adjustment with Lok Shakti but now it might be difficult with the unified Janata Dal.

BJP vice-president J P Mathur said hereon Friday that " Karnataka BJP has said that in case no adjustment is possible with Lok Shakti, the party would be able to contest on its own," adding that BJP Central leadership would take a final decision keeping in view the very firm attitude of the state unit.

While saying that the party's views on the merger would be made known at the NDA coordination committee meeting on July 31, Mathur did not hide the party's displeasure at the developments. "Propriety demanded that Lok Shakti and Samata should have discussed the move at the coordination committee meeting before going ahead with it," Mathur said.

Asked if the new outfit would be a part of NDA, Mathur said it was for the NDA to take a decision in this regard. However, he said if it wanted to contest elections on Janata Dal symbol, then it would be considered a separate party and would be dealt with accordingly.In case, it wanted to contest on Lok Shakti symbol, then they would have to sort matters out among themselves, Mathur said.

In Chennai,Union commerce minister and Lok Shakti president Ramakrishna Hegde denied that the recent merger of his party and Samata Party with the Janata Dal was to create a pressure group within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to contain the BJP.Replying to newspersons here, he referred to some reports and said such an apprehension was unfounded. ``The main objective is to strengthen the NDA and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.