The Hindu : Front Page : Is the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government on its way out?

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Tuesday, Oct 02, 2007
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Is the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government on its way out?

S. Rajendran and B.S. Satish Kumar

Both sides stick to their guns on power transfer

JD(S) empowers Deve Gowda to take the final decision
BJP says it will not wait beyond October 3

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Seeking divine intervention?: I leave it to God and the people, Deputy Chief Minister Yediyurappa seems to be saying before leaving his residence for a meeting in Bangalore on Monday.

Bangalore: The nearly 20-month old H.D.Kumaraswamy-led coalition Government in the State is tottering with talks between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the verge of collapse. Both sides firmly refuse to budge.

The Janata Dal (Secular) at its Legislature Party meeting on Monday night passed a one-line resolution empowering the party president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda to take a final decision on power transfer.

The State executive committee of the Janata Dal (Secular) will meet at 11 a.m. on October 3. Mr. Kumaraswamy has decided to meet all party legislators individually on October 2 to elicit their views.

BJP stand

The BJP also toughened its stand and said that it would not wait beyond the scheduled date of October 3 for transfer of power.

The party is opposed to any of the new conditions put forth by Mr. Gowda. Party national vice-president and Karnataka in-charge Yashwant Sinha told reporters after two rounds of consultations with BJP Ministers that the party would not step back from the “three pillars” of the power-sharing pact between the coalition partners entered into 20 months ago, namely, the appointment of B. S. Yediyurappa as Chief Minister, the October 3 deadline for transfer of power, and the assumption of ministerial portfolios now with the Janata Dal (Secular). “It is time for Mr. Kumaraswamy to redeem his pledge” he said.

Resignation

Mr. Sinha said that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy should hand over his resignation to Governor Rameshwar Thakur by the evening of October 2.

Along with this he must also submit a letter through the Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party stating that his party will support Mr. Yediyurappa as Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, sources in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh told The Hindu that the party Ministers, including Mr. Yediyurappa, would quit en masse by Tuesday evening if Mr. Kumaraswamy failed to step down.

These resignation letters, to be forwarded to Mr. Kumaraswamy, are drafted and ready, it is learnt. A legislature party meeting has been convened on October 2.

Denial

Mr. Deve Gowda denied that he had suggested to Mr. Yashwant Sinha that Mr. Kumaraswamy continue as Chief Minister.

“We will not beg the BJP to permit Mr. Kumaraswamy to continue. The Political Affairs Committee of the Janata Dal (Secular) will meet in New Delhi at noon on Friday and take a final call on the transfer of power. The party’s stand would thereafter be conveyed to the BJP president,” he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy also told The Hindu that, irrespective of the party legislators demand for him to continue, he would abide by the agreement.

“I will do my part (resignation). It is for the Janata Dal (Secular) leadership to finalise on handing over charge to the BJP,” he said.

The former Prime Minister had told The Hindu on Sunday that a final decision on the transfer of power would have to be taken only by the Political Affairs Committee, the apex body of the Janata Dal (Secular).

Upbeat

The party is buoyed by its good performance in the elections to the urban local bodies.

The BJP Parliamentary Board, which is meeting on October 4, is expected to decide the next course of action to be followed by the party State unit if things do not go according to the power sharing pact.

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