BANGALORE: Tough stands taken by the coalition partners in the Karnataka Development Front over whether the Government should take over the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project of the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) or only take back the excess land acquired for the company and hand it over to the affected farmers drove the Government to the brink of a crisis on Tuesday.

The "crucial" Cabinet meeting was deferred by over four hours as the Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers held a closed-door meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa. The Janata Dal (Secular) Ministers and legislators also held a separate meeting in Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's chamber.

However, both the parties agreed to discuss other listed subjects in the Cabinet, excluding the BMIC issue, as they could not arrive at a consensus.

The Cabinet meeting was scheduled at 4 p.m. but was held at 8.30 p.m. Briefing presspersons after the meeting, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraja Horatti said: "The Cabinet did not discuss the BMIC project as it was not on the agenda. Both the parties held separate discussions on whether the issue could be taken up by the Cabinet as it was not in the listed business."

Around 4.15 p.m. even as some of the BJP and Janata Dal (S) Ministers entered the Cabinet hall, Mr. Yediyurappa went into the Chief Minister's chamber and returned after 30 minutes. He immediately convened a closed door meeting of his party Ministers at his chamber.

At 6.30 p.m. Mr. Horatti met Mr. Yediyurappa at the latter's chamber reportedly with a message from Mr. Kumaraswamy.

At 7 p.m. he left to meet Mr. Kumaraswamy only to return to meet the Deputy Chief Minister along with Advocate-General Uday Holla and party spokesperson and MLC Y.S.V Datta. However, Mr. Yediyurappa came out of his chamber to attend the Cabinet meeting along with some of his party Ministers at 8.25 p.m.

Although Mr. Yediyurappa was tight-lipped about the meeting, Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok told presspersons that the BJP had no objections to the Government taking back the excess land from the BMIC and giving it back to the original ownersSpeaking to presspersons, Mr. Datta said that both the parties discussed the issue at length from their own points of view. After the Cabinet meeting, asked about the political importance of holding separate meetings by the partners in the Government, Mr. Kumaraswamy repeatedly said: "Ask the BJP." He rushed to his chamber without giving room for further queries.

On the other hand, Mr. Yediyurappa returned to his chamber in a huff.

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