Karnataka: 'No Power Hand-over' - JD(S)' Final Word to BJP
Agency report
Pic PTI
New Delhi, Oct 6: Janata Dal (Secular) president H D Deve Gowda on Friday night told his BJP counterpart Rajnath Singh that the party has no intention to transfer power to the BJP notwithstanding the earlier agreement, inside sources said.
Gowda communicated his party's view to Singh at a meeting soon after an “inconclusive” meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of his party Friday evening. Although it was officially announced that Gowda would be meeting Singh at a mutually agreed common place on Saturday, the meeting took place Friday night itself, a top JD (S) leader said.
A senior BJP leader said: “Gowda discussed with Singh the developments. He spoke in detail about the JD (S) concerns and gave reasons against a transfer of power. Singh told him that these concerns would be discussed by the BJP at its Parliamentary Board meeting on Saturday and he would get back to him.”
Sources, however, declined to reveal where the meeting was held but indications are that it was held at the residence of industrialist-turned-Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekher.
Earlier, the meeting, attended by Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and home minister M P Prakash, apprised the JD (S) PAC about the 20-month old uneasy coalition with the BJP.
Under the agreement reached, the BJP was to get chief ministership from the JD (S) on October 3. The BJP ministers, including dyCM B S Yediyurappa, have resigned their posts while the CM has convened the legislative assembly session on October 18.
Daijiworld exclusive cartoons by Harini
The BJP has scheduled its Parliamentary Board’s meeting for tomorrow morning and the meeting with Gowda and Singh was to take place before it. The board made it clear at its Thursday’s meeting that the issue of transfer of power to BJP for the rest of the 20-month term and chief ministership to B.S. Yediyurappa was “non-negotiable”.
Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP legislature party leader Yediyurappa led a delegation of state MPs to party leadership asking them to get a final word from the JD (S) on transfer of power to the BJP by Saturday evening, failing which the party should permit the Karnataka legislature party to withdraw its support to the government.
Asked about this statement, JD(S) secretary general Kunwar Danish Ali said it was a matter between Yediyurappa and his party.
In the meantime, there were indications that its options were open. Spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said: “Nothing can be ruled out, nothing has been agreed with the JD(S).”
Political drama in Karnataka - complete coverage: