"I am of the firm view that we should withdraw support. But a formal decision will be taken at the party's executive meeting in Panipat on February 11," INLD president Om Prakash Chautala told reporters here.

Describing the hike as "not only anti-farmer but also anti-poor", he said if the price increase was not withdrawn, "we will withdraw support as we cannot tolerate the sufferings of poor people and farmers whose cause we have been championing over the years".

Chautala said he had conveyed his party's feeling to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee through a letter few days back, but had not received any response to it so far.

He said though withdrawal of support by the INLD, which has four members in Parliament, will not lead to fall of the government, it will certainly send the message thatour party strongly stood for the masses.

"We are a democratic party and a final decision on withdrawing support to the BJP-led coalition at the Centre would be taken at the party's national executive to be attended by MPs, MLAs and district presidents," he said.

Asked if he had already withdrawn support, Chautala replied in the negative and said, "The day such a decision is taken, President K R Narayanan will be informed in writing."

To a specific question as to what he would do if the party's executive authorised him to take a decision on the issue of supporting Vajpayee government, Chautala said, "My stand is clear, that is, to withdraw support."

The INLD had earlier also threatened to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government before Assembly elections in four states but Chautala, after the executive meeting at Jind in Haryana, had decided against any such move.

BJP to persuade Haryana CM

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party will persuade Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader OmPrakash Chautala to rescind his party's decision to withdraw support to the eleven-month-old Vajpayee government.

Chautala had announced earlier that his party would withdraw its support to the government on February 11 and the decision would be ratified at the party's general body meeting at Panipat on that day.