PTI - Monday, 6-45 pm IST
Bangalore, Oct 1: The BJP on Monday decided to stand firm on the power transfer issue in Karnataka, sending out clear signals that it would not accept any conditions from its coalition partner JD(S), and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has to make way for B S Yediyurappa on October 3, 2007.
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According to BJP sources, the party would rather face elections than succumbing to JD(S)' conditions on power transfer.
State BJP leaders held a meeting in Bangalore on Monday, attended by Yashwant Sinha, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, and senior leader H N Anath Kumar, and decided to adopt a tough posture and not to give in to JD(S) demands.
"There is no question of allowing H D Kumaraswamy to continue as Chief Minister after October 3, 2007. There is no change in our stand that Yediyurappa (who is currently Deputy Chief Minister) is our nominee for chief ministership," a senior party leader said.
As per the power-sharing pact reached between the two parties, it was agreed that JD(S) would head the government in the first 20 months, leaving the remainder of 20 months for the BJP.
BJP State unit president D V Sadananda Gowda said that there was no question of renegotiating the power-sharing pact and expressed confidence that the JD(S) would abide by it.
"There is no room for changes in the earlier agreement. There is no scope for discussions on this. We hope JD(S) will honour its pact," he said.
Housing Minister D T Jayakumar said JD(S) MLAs would insist on Kumaraswamy continuing as Chief Minister at the JD(S) legislature party meeting this evening, and if BJP does not accept it, the party would go in for elections.
After a meeting of Karnataka ministers belonging to the BJP, Sinha said there was no question of meeting JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on the power transfer issue "at this stage".
Sinha had met Gowda on Sunday to discuss the power transition issue but it didn't make much headway, party sources said.
Yediyurappa, who was credited with playing a key role in building the party in Karnataka, said the issue of power transfer would be handled by the BJP's central leadership.
Ab Kya Hoga, Gowda-ji?