There is a degree of uncertainty in the party on whether the JD(S) will stick to the power-sharing arrangement and handover reins of the government to the BJP.
NEW DELHI: Tension is mounting in the BJP as October 3, the deadline for transfer of power in Karnataka, approaches.
There is a degree of uncertainty in the party on whether the JD(S) will stick to the power-sharing arrangement and handover reins of the government to the BJP.
Party insiders do not rule out the possibility of the state assembly being placed under suspended animation on expiry of the deadline. The conflicting signals from the Janata Dal (secular) to the BJP has raised Congress’s hopes of a fresh alliance with JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda, who according to sources could again switch sides to keep his son, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, in power.
While Gowda had earlier ruled out any understanding with the Congress, the BJP leaders are not taking his statements at face value.
Gowda’s visit to New Delhi on Wednesday has further added to the suspense. It is yet not clear whether he would meet senior BJP to settle the issue. However, BJP vice-president and party's in-charge for Karnataka Yashwant Sinha said: “We are confident that the transfer of power will take as per schedule.”
The Congress too has added to the BJP’s discomfort. A senior Congress leader from the state said the party was willing to explore options if Gowda came up with an offer.
“Our priority is to keep the BJP out. We don’t want to allow them to use the state machinery to vitiate the atmosphere in Karnataka. Despite the falling out between the two parties, Gowda has kept an alliance door open for the Congress and has been talking to them on and off.”
The BJP and the JD(S) had made an informal power sharing agreement in February 2006 with the understanding that Kumaraswamy would be chief minister for the first 20 months and BS Yediyurappa would take over from him for the remaining 20-month term of the present assembly.
Both BJP and JD(S) leaders said the situation would become clearer after September 28 when elections for urban local bodies are held. Till the time the elections are over the JD(S) is unlikely to make any wrong move for it could upset the influential lingayat community to which Yediyurappa belongs. Kumaraswamy belongs to another dominant Vokkaligas community.
Leading the JD-S brigade in making contradictory statements is Kumaraswamy. He has been saying that the power transfer will take place only after he holds talks on the issue with top BJP leaders such as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and leader of opposition LK Advani.
BJP emerged as the single largest party with 79 seats in the 225-member assembly in the 2004 elections but agreed to play second fiddle in the hope of installing its first CM down south.
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