With the BJP and the JD(S) tussle over power transfer in Karnataka becoming muckier, countdown for the collapse of the coalition government in the state has begun with both sides stating they were ready for mid-term polls.
Meanwhile, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy convened a session of the state assembly on October 18, apparently to seek a floor tes t. That there was a clear deterioration in relationship between the BJP and the JD(S) became apparent when a scheduled meeting on Friday evening between former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and BJP chief Rajnath Singh was postponed.
BJP circles claim that the meeting between the two will take place on Saturday and cited internal parleys including the JD(S) political affairs committee meeting, which was held on Friday evening, as the reason for the postponement.
Earlier, the Karnataka chief minister chaired a meeting of his Cabinet in Bangalore and decided to convene a session of the state legislature to seek a vote of confidence, sending a strong signal that he was in no mood to hand over the baton to BJP?s chief ministerial candidate and Karnataka?s deputy chief minister BS Yediyurappa. Reacting sharply over the chief minister?s move to convene the Assembly?s session, Yediyurappa said, ?Where is the question of convening such a session. Who has demanded it from him? We have not withdrawn support to the government so far.?