BJP State unit leaders Ramachandre Gowda and Suresh Kumar told mediapersons here on Tuesday that party workers throughout the State had registered their protest against any tie-up with the `discredited' JD in the State. The workers' sentiments were conveyed by the party's State unit Chief B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday morning to BJP president Khushbhau Thakre, who ``authorised the State unit to take a decision on the issue'' but had asked the unit to continue the alliance with the Lok Shakti.

Gowda said people had accepted the BJP-Lok Shakti alliance during the last 14 months and hence, the party was prepared to continue with it. If the Lok Shakti, under pressure, decided to have any understanding with other parties, the BJP is prepared to go it alone in the forthcomingelections, Gowda maintained.

Asked whether the BJP was in favour of continuing it's alliance with the Lok Shakti if the JD merged with the Lok Shakti, Gowda said the issue would be discussed with the party high command.

Suresh Kumar said ever since the election dates were announced, the party office-bearers met for five days and finalised the selction of candidates in 135 Assembly constituencies. Besides the constituencies wherein the party won in the last elections, the party has retained the constituencies in which it's candidates secured the second place against the Congress in the last elections. However, the State unit leaders will meet again on Friday and finalise at least 80 per cent of the seats it would like to contest.

Suresh Kumar said his party workers were angry with Chief Minister J H Patel, describing the BJP as a ``cancer'' adding they were opposed to any tie-up with the JD as the BJP had fought against the `misrule' of the Patel Government during the last four-and-a-halfyears.