JD (S)-BJP stand off over power transfer in Karnataka continues

A day after talks between JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and BJP’s national Vice President Yashwant Sinha failed to break the deadlock over the issue of transfer of power, the reluctance on the part of JD (S) to hand over the coveted post of Chief Minister to BJP’s B S Yediyurappa became evident.

Amid reports that Gowda had down certain conditions during his brief meeting with Sinha on Sunday night, JD (S) MLAs have openly begun arguing for continuation of H D Kumaraswamy as the coalition’s Chief Minister.

Housing Minister D T Jayakumar said Kumaraswamy should continue in the top post while party MLA and former Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan urged the BJP to allow the Chief Minister to continue for another term of 20 months in view of the appreciation for his good work.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, on his part, has declared that he is bound by the decision taken by the party MLAs on the issue of handing over the baton to BJP. “The alliance with BJP and formation of coalition Government was formed as per the wishes of the party MLAs. Similiarly, any move to demit office will also require the concurrence of the party MLAs”, said Kumaraswamy, who is scheduled to hand over power to BJP by October 3.

But, the BJP, which is not amused by the pressure tactics mounted by the JD (S), is understood to have taken a decision to opt for snap polls to the Assembly if power is not transferred to the BJP as per the power-sharing arrangement between H D Kumaraswamy and B S Yediyurappa.

A meeting of senior BJP leaders and party’s Minister’s in the coalition Government met at Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s residence in Bangalore and decided that the party should be ready to face mid-term polls if the JD (S) reneges on its promise to transfer power as scheduled.

Gowda, who holds the key to the transfer of power, is understood to be in no mood to hand over power to BJP in the wake of the thumping victory registered by JD (S) in many urban local bodies in the recent elections.

Meanwhile, Gowda told reporters in Bangalore that the resolution of the JD (S) Legislature Party meeting scheduled for Monday night on the transfer of power, will have to be placed before the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC). “I will go by the decision of the PAC”, Gowda said.

According to party sources, transfer of power to BJP is unlikely to take place in the next week.