Both the JD (U) into which the Samata Party and the Lok Shakti have merged, and the BJP declared that they would contest all the 28 Lok Sabha and 224 Assembly seats in Karnataka on their own after their talks broke down.

The State unit of the BJP served an ultimatum that the Lok Shakti should decide by tonight whether it intended to continue their alliance by tonight.

State BJP chief B.S.Yediyurappa declared after a marathon emergency meeting of party office-bearers that ``if we do not hear anything from Lok Shakti leaders by this night, we will issue `B' forms to candidates to file nominations in all the 28 Lok Sabha and 224 Assembly constituencies.''

Hewarned that once the party decided to field its candidates in all the constituencies, it would not go back under any circumstances. He however said that the State unit was still awaiting a direction from the central leadership and would abide by whatever decision it took.

The JD (U) also displayed similar muscle-flexing when it said that it would also contest all the seats in Karnataka. One of its leaders, Basavaraja Rayareddi told reporters in Bangalore that the Delhi developments were communicated to him by Hegde over the telephone. He termed the BJP's stance as ``back-stabbing.''

But BJP leaders in the Capital kept silent on the statements made by their State unit and the JD (U).

At the time of writing, JD (U) leaders in Bangalore were in a huddle at Hegde's residence. According to sources in the party, the JD(U) viewed the BJP's threatening postures as a ploy to ensure that they agree to contest lesser number of seats while the BJP kept for itself a bigger share. The mood in the JD (U), they said,was to settle for about 90 Assembly seats and a dozen of the Lok Sabha seats.

``But if the BJP tries to push us too far and make us settle for a grossly inequitable arrangement, we will have to chart out our own path,'' the sources said.

If Yediyurappa blamed Hegde for creating confusion in the minds of BJP and Lok Shakti cadres on the issue of the JD (U)'s entry into the NDA, Rayareddi blamed the BJP for its ``overconfidence'' of ``sweeping the polls.''

Asked if the developments would benefit the Congress, the JD (U) leader said it was too premature to speculate on that issue. ``But, it will be disastrous for the BJP,'' he remarked.