The Hindu : Front Page : A friendly relationship turns sour

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Sunday, Nov 12, 2006
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A friendly relationship turns sour

S. Rajendran

Kumaraswamy, Yediyurappa give each other the cold shoulder

Bangalore: The relationship between Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has reportedly turned frosty over the past fortnight owing to a variety of factors that have been building up.

Reports have it that they have not been seeing eye to eye, although confidants of the two say it is only a "passing phase" and that differences, if any, will be ironed out at the earliest. The two of them met for the first time in two weeks at an early morning Cabinet meeting on Friday prior to the departure of 16 BJP Ministers to Mumbai to participate in a party programme.

After their independent trips to New Delhi recently where Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Yediyurappa called on some Union Ministers separately, the Chief Minister has been talking to State BJP president D.V. Sadananda Gowda on finalising a common candidate for the Chamundeshwari Assembly byelection. While the BJP is upset over the Janata Dal (Secular) "riding roughshod" over it and decisions being taken by the Chief Minister without discussing it with the Deputy Chief Minister, the JD(S) feels that the BJP is not cooperating with it in ensuring that the coalition government enjoys a good image. For the record, Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Yediyurappa told The Hindu that they had no serious differences. They maintained that they had not crossed the "Lakshman Rekha," meaning that it was the other who had crossed the line. The working relationship between them is expected to get back on track only after a meeting of the coordination committee of the two parties.

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