PTI
Bangalore, Oct 5: A majority of BJP legislators in Karnataka on Friday favoured that the party leadership decide on withdrawing support to the JD (S)-led coalition government as chances of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy transferring power to the Saffron party receded fast.
At a meeting of the ministers representing BJP in the coalition government and party legislators, chaired by chief ministerial candidate B S Yediyurappa, a majority of them pushed for pulling out of the government and facing mid-term polls, a senior leader said on condition of anonymity.
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As the ministers and legislators expressed displeasure over the charges levelled by JD (S) against the party to "cover up" its failure on power-transfer, Yediyurappa and other senior leaders pacified them and chose to wait till Saturday for the outcome of the dialogue between BJP president Rajnath Singh and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.
Meanwhile, Yediyurappa, who returned from Delhi on Thursday night, said that "if JD(S) does not want to transfer power and want to go to people's court, we (BJP) are also ready".
Assailing the 'excuses' being cited by JD(S) leaders on power-transfer and taking a swipe at them, Yediyurappa said "I am also a son of the soil. I am a firm believer in the preaching of Basaveswara and do not know the art of cheating. I do what I say".
Yediyurappa said his party would take a final decision on the ongoing power-transfer crisis in the face of JD(S)'s reluctance to honour its promise after the meeting between leaders of both parties.
Karnataka Assembly to meet for trial of strength on October 18
Agency report
Bangalore: The Karnataka Cabinet met here on Friday morning and decided to hold special session of the State Assembly on October 18 for a trial of strength.
Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy presided over the cabinet meeting, even as hectic political activities are on in Bangalore regarding the transfer of power in Karnataka.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, state primary and secondary education minister Basavaraj Horatti said: “The decision will be intimated to the governor, his permission will be sought (for convening the session).”
Meanwhile, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, B S Yediyurappa, said that his party would take three to four days before responding to the "grave charges" made against it by chief minister Kumaraswamy.
"We also have a long list (of grave charges against the coalition partner JDS). If they (JDS) don't want to transfer power, we are also ready for elections. Let's go before the people", he said.
The scene to break the impasse has shifted to Delhi where the national executive of the JD(S) is meeting on Friday.
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is also likely to meet BJP president Rajnath Singh later in the day.
Both Kumaraswamy and Gowda have clearly indicated that the handing over of power to the BJP might not take place.
Kumaraswamy, who had inked a power-sharing agreement with the BJP twenty months back, on Thursday threatened to end the coalition saying, "We will go to people's court."
"I am ready to break my word on power transfer in the interest of the State,'' he added.
Kumaraswamy attacked the 'communal' BJP for attempting to malign him and his family with allegations of bribery and corruption.
However, he said, that he would abide by the decision of his party on this issue.
Reports from Bangalore indicate that a section of legislators belonging to the JD (S) have asked their leadership to avert a mid-term poll by handing over the chief ministership to the state BJP leadership.
Karnataka Cong. leaders meet Governor
PTI
Bangalore: A state Congress delegation met Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Friday and apprised him of the political situation, in the wake of the crisis over the power transfer between the ruling coalition partners JD(S) and BJP.
After meeting Thakur, KPCC president M Mallikarjuna Kharge told reporters that the delegation brought to the notice of the governor, the "collapse" of the administration and the resignation of BJP ministers.
The Congress asked the Governor to "take stock of the situation", he said.
Kharge clarified that his party neither sought dismissal of the coalition government nor imposition of President's rule in the state.
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