Bangalore, April 24 :     Karnataka chief minister J.H. Patel today urged Jyoti Basu to accept the Prime Minister?s post to avoid mid-term elections to Lok Sabha. Patel sent a message to Basu expressing anguish at the political stalemate. Patel said he was happy to note that most parties wanted Basu to head a third front government. In his appeal, Patel wrote: ?In the current difficult situation, I strongly feel that you should accept the responsibility of running the nation as Prime Minister as another mid-term poll is not good for the health of our democracy. You have my whole-hearted support. I hope your party will resolve in favour of your accepting the Prime Minister?s post.? Patel, who has advocated maintaining ?equal distance? from both the BJP and the Congress and successfully thwarted Deve Gowda?s attempt to back Sonia Gandhi, even got his Cabinet to endorse his stand. Patel described Gowda?s move as ?ridiculous?, pointing out that the Congress was the Janata Dal?s main rival in the forthcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.