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Rediff.com  » News » Karnataka crisis: BJP sticks to its guns

Karnataka crisis: BJP sticks to its guns

By Vicky Nanjappa in New Delhi
September 29, 2007 12:06 IST
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In the midst of the all the drama that is taking place with regard to the transfer of power in Karnataka, one thing becomes clear and that is the Bharatiya Janata Party at the moment is in no mood for compromise.

Senior BJP leaders including Yashwant Sinha, who is in Bangalore, made it clear that there was no question of any sort of compromise with the Janata Dal-Secular when it came to distribution of ministries.

The BJP senses that the JD-S is playing truant with this issue only to bag a few key ministries in the Cabinet such as Home, Power and Urban Development.

However as per the initial power sharing agreement these key portfolios would be the JD-S' in the first 20 months and then passed on to the BJP.

The JD-S also is trying its level best to convince the BJP into agreeing to continue with the present set up in which their leader H D Kumaraswamy is the chief minister.

Yashwant Sinha who arrived late Friday evening held one round of talks with senior BJP leaders, including former Union Minister Ananth Kumar.

It was decided that they would not compromise and the JD-S has to honour its commitment, which was made 20 months back.

The BJP is even ready to face the elections, but not ready to be bullied by the JD-S, the meeting also decided.

Meanwhile all BJP leaders are now holding talks at an undisclosed location in Bangalore to decide on the future of the government.

The meeting is expected to discuss the power transfer issue and also on whether to hold talks with JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda who had said two days back that there will be no power transfer unless the BJP sorts out its internal problems.

The BJP at the moment is caught between the devil and the deep sea. On the one hand, it has to deal with the JD-S while on the other hand, it has to take care of a faction of the BJP itself which is unhappy about Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa becoming the chief minister.

Apart from this, the BJP will also have to cope with the IAS lobby in the state which is said not to be in favour of Yediyurappa becoming the CM.

Sources in the IAS lobby claim that Yediyurappa is a difficult man to work with due to his temper.

Meanwhile, it seems as though Gowda has softened his stance and is ready for talks with the BJP leaders.

Sources close to the man himself said that he is open for talks and wants the crisis to come to an end.

During his meeting with the BJP, he may bargain for key ministries or may ask the BJP to permit Kumaraswamy to continue in office for atleast another three months.

However, the BJP said that the demand is unreasonable and the JD-S has to stick to its earlier commitment, which was made when the government was formed.

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Vicky Nanjappa in New Delhi