Rift between JD(S) and BJP widens, Kumaraswamy threatens to quit early

Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka B S Yediyurappa’s repeated reminders in public on the transfer of power in the State from the JD (S) to the BJP in October this year have annoyed Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who has threatened to quit the coveted post early.

Yediyurappa’s declaration at the Independence Day celebrations at Shimoga that he would unfurl the national flag at the Parade Grounds in Bangalore as a Chief Minister next year had clearly irked Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy, who had stayed away from the tea party hosted by Governor T N Chaturvedi to mark the Independence Day, told reporters that the transfer of power relates to the dignity of the office of the Chief Minister.

“It is not a childish issue to be discussed in the media repeatedly”, said a visibly peeved Kumaraswamy, who even threatened to quit early in the wake of the Deputy Chief Minister’s utterances.

According to JD (S) leaders, Kumaraswamy was so upset with Yediyurappa’s statement that he convened a hurried meeting of his close confidantes to consider the option of quitting as Chief Minister early.

The JD (S) leaders also pointed out that Yediyurappa had been frequently referring to the transfer of power issue. During the recent legislature session, the Deputy Chief Minister had pointed to the Chief Minister’s chair and said that after October 3, the date of transfer of power, he would be occupying that chair, and sought the co-operation of the legislators.

On another occasion, during the Ugadi festival, Yediyurappa said he would celebrate the next festival at Anugraha, the official residence of the Chief Minister.

Kumaraswamy’s public criticism of Yediyurappa’s statements have served to further widen the rift between coalition partners BJP and JD (S) ahead of the scheduled transfer of power on October 3.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa immediately went into a damage control mode by claiming that he would remain silent on power transfer issue till the D-Day. “We have decided to desist from making any statement on the transfer of power”, he said.

“I will talk to the Chief Minister to find out why he is upset and explain to him that there was no intention to hurt his feelings. I will clear the misunderstanding over my statement in Shimoga”, Yediyurappa added.

However, BJP’s Karnataka unit President Sadananda Gowda said the BJP was ready to accept power from the JD (S) ahead of the schedule if Kumaraswamy so wishes. “We expect the power transfer to take place on October 3. But, if it happens early, we are ready to accept it”, Sadananda Gowda said.