Gowda assures to transfer power to BJP

Former Prime Minister and JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has sought to end the speculation over continuation of H D Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister even after his term ends by assuring to transfer power to BJP during October this year as per the deal under which the JD (S)-BJP coalition Government was formed.

“If the harmonious relationship between the coalition partners continues and the BJP remains committed to the common minimum programme, power will be transferred after four more months. Let there no apprehension on that score”, Gowda told reporters in Bangalore yesterday.

Gowda’s statement comes in the midst of demands by JD (S) Ministers including Iqbal Ansari, who holds the Labour portfolio, for continuation of Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister even after his 20-month-term ends.

When Gowda was asked to react to Kumaraswamy’s decision to quit as Chief Minister even before his term ends if the suicide-spree of farmers in the State did not end, the former Prime Minister said resignation from the post of Chief Minister was not a solution to the farmers’ suicides. “A solution should be found to end the farmers’ suicides in the State. But, bowing out of office is not the solution”, he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has taken serious exception to Iqbal Ansari’s statements on an extended tenure for Kumaraswamy at the helm with the “support of about 30 BJP MLAs”.

A meeting of BJP legislators convened by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is scheduled to don the mantle of Chief Minister in October, came down heavily on Ansari for the “misinformation” campaign he was carrying on. BJP leaders not only clarified that there was no threat of a split in the BJP, they also demanded Ansari’s resignation from the Government. “He should either abide by the spirit of the coalition or resign from the Government”, a BJP leader said.

Ansari later told reporters that he had sent a letter to Deve Gowda clarifying that he had never criticized the BJP leaders in his public statements.