The BJP has stepped up its efforts to woo senior leader M P Prakash and his followers, while the JD(S) leader continued playing the cards close to his chest on his next move.

Sources said former CM B S Yeddyurappa and State BJP president Sadananda Gowda, in a meeting on Saturday, not only formally invited Prakash, but also agreed to give the party tickets to fight in the coming elections to all his supporters (who were JD(S) MLAs in the dissolved Assembly).

But the BJP leaders are learnt to have denied tickets to Bellary’s Suryanarayana Reddy and B C Patil of Haveri.

It is also learnt the BJP has assured Prakash of a Rajya Sabha seat, while the party ticket will be given to any person of his choice (indicating his son M P Ravi) to contest from Hadagali - Prakash’s constituency in Bellary district.