UNI
Bangalore, Oct 3: The cloud of uncetainty over power transfer would be cleared by the party national rxecutive meeting in New Delhi on October 5, says JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.
Efforts are continuing between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (S) to end the impasse on transfer of power with BJP President Rajnath Singh holding talks with JD (S) supremo H D Devegowda this morning.
Talking to newsmen, Deve Gowda said that the two leaders exchanged views on resolving the crisis. He said the cloud of uncetainty over power transfer would be cleared by the Party National Executive meeting in New Delhi on October Five. Even the BJP Parliamentary Board is meeting in New Delhi tomorrow where the issue would be discussed, he added.
Ruling out the possibility of joining hands again with Congress to form government in Karnataka, Gowda said, "Such proposals are not before the party at present."
Meanwhile Karnataka deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who had submitted his resignation to the chief minister along with 16 other BJP ministers on Tuesday, expressed confidence that the transfer of power would be smooth.
"We will wait for another two days as appealed by JD(S) before taking next course of action. I will take all measures to see that situation would not lead to mid-term elections in Karnataka," he said on Wednesday before leaving for Yediyur in Tumkur District.
BJP ministers stay away from work
PTI
Bangalore: The BJP ministers, led by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, had handed over their resignations to Kumaraswamy last night, in tune with the party's decision to quit the ministry if JD(S) delayed power transfer beyond October three.
A day after resigning en masse from the JD(S)-BJP government in Karnataka, the BJP ministers on Wednesday stayed away from official work without waiting for chief minister H D Kumaraswamy to decide on their letters.
Some of the ministers have returned their official cars, BJP spokesman S Suresh Kumar told PTI here.
The BJP ministers, led by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, had handed over their resignations to Kumaraswamy last night, in tune with the party's decision to quit the ministry if JD(S) delayed power transfer beyond October three.
Kumaraswamy has decided not to act on the resignation letters till the meeting of the political affairs committee (PAC) of the party takes a final view on power transfer. The meeting would take place in Delhi on October five.
JD(S) has convened a meeting of its office bearers here tomorrow to elicit their views on the issue of handing over of power to BJP.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress rubbished speculation that it was toying with the idea of extending support to JD(S) government from outside.
"Let JD(S)-BJP decide what they will do. Then we will spell out our stand", a front-ranking Congress leader said, refusing to be quoted.
It is learnt that Congress leader Pravin Chand Thavar had consulted Karnataka state unit leaders on emerging political crisis in the wake of stand off between JD(S)-BJP on power transfer.
BJP Vice-President Yaswant Sinha, whom the party had send to defuse the crisis has returned to Delhi, BJP sources said.
Meanwhile, Congress is contemplating to meet Governor Rameshwar Thakur on October 6-7 to urge for his intervention as the state was facing a "constitutional crisis", a senior Congress leader said.
Karnataka could see Central rule
DNA
New Delhi: Is Karnataka heading for President’s rule? Talks between the JD(S) and the BJP have hit a deadlock — neither side is willing to give in on transfer of power.
The trust deficit among the political players in the state can lead to a situation where the assembly is placed under suspended animation and Central rule is imposed.
“We have nothing to do with the power-sharing agreement between HD Kumaraswamy and the BJP 20 months ago,” JD(S) chief Merajuddin Patel said, indicating his party would not honour the pact.
“October 3 is the deadline for power transfer. We will not go back on that,” counters BJP state unit president DV Sadananda Gowda.
After a meeting on Tuesday, all the BJP ministers put in their papers and stood firm on the power transfer issue and spoke against allowing Kumaraswamy to continue as CM beyond the stipulated time.
The BJP’s parliamentary board, the party’s top decision-making body, will take a final decision on October 4.
(Daijiworld exclusive cartoons by Harini)
BJP has not withdrawn support to Kumaraswamy government: Rajnath
IANS
New Delhi: Holding out hope for the impasse in Karnataka where his party and the Janata Dal-S (JD-S) are locked in a tussle for power, BJP president Rajnath Singh said Wednesday that his party had not withdrawn support to the government even though its ministers have resigned.
Addressing reporters here, the BJP president said he 'was hopeful of a solution to the Karnataka crisis'.
The BJP's parliamentary board will be meeting Oct 4 to discuss the future course of action in Karnataka.
According to the arrangement between the two parties, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the JD-S was supposed to hand over reins of the office to the BJP after 20 months.
However, Kumaraswamy has refused to do so, leading to all the BJP ministers in his cabinet submitting their resignation Tuesday.
Congress adopts 'wait and watch' policy on Karnataka
PTI
New Delhi: Congress has adopted a "wait and watch" mode in Karnataka despite reports expressing possibility of it extending outside support to the JDS to retain power if it severed links with the BJP.
"We are watching the situation closely," AICC general secretary Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday said when asked about reports of the possibility of the party extending outside support to the JDS, which is currently locked in tussle with its coalition partner BJP on the transfer of power issue.
The reports also had it that a decision on the issue would be taken after Sonia Gandhi's return from her foreign tour.
Congress had so far been giving signals that it does not want to get embroiled in the power tussle in Karnataka as such a move would be electorally counter productive.
"Why should we take the anti-incumbency of the JDS when election is the best way out," goes the argument in the Congress.
The JDS had organised a meeting of political affairs committee on October 5 to decide the future course of action while 17 BJP minister have submitted their resignation to the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy last night.
JDS had sprang a surprise on Congress, in January last year, when it pulled the rug from under the Congress-led coalition in the state and joined hands with BJP in a power sharing pact.
Power Play - Karnataka: