The cancellation of the crucial meeting of the JD (S) - BJP Co-ordination Committee at the last minute by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has left the BJP leaders fuming on Saturday.
The BJP leaders felt embarrassed - not just because of the cancellation of the meeting for the third consecutive day but for the alleged unilateral decision taken by Mr Kumaraswamy to cancel the meeting without consulting them.
The BJP leaders, who are waiting to raise several issues with their coalition partner pertaining to administration, expressed their displeasure for cancellation of the meeting, which they had hoped that, would also put an end to the issue of transfer of power. While BJP State Chief D V Sadananda Gowda expressed the party’s displeasure over unilateral decision taken by Mr Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, to a query from the media, said: “You should ask the chief minister why the meeting was cancelled.”
‘Not a childish issue’
Apparently ridiculing Mr Kumaraswamy, who recently had stated that the transfer of power which is related to CM’s post is “not a childish issue” to be discussed in the media repeatedly, Mr Gowda has described the meeting of the Co-ordination Committee as “not a childish matter and it can not be taken lightly.”“The Co-ordination Committee has its own dignity and its meeting cannot be treated lightly. Now the ball is in chief minister’s court,” said Mr Gowda after holding a meeting with the party leaders. The BJP leaders, led by Gowda and Mr Yediyurappa were about to leave to the chief minister’s home office “Krishna” at around 7:45 am when they received a message from the CM’s office that the meeting, scheduled for at 8 am, stood postponed to a later date. 
When asked, Mr Yediyurappa said: “We were preparing to leave to the chief minister’s office at around 7:45 am when we received the message that the meeting has been postponed.” Mr Yediyurappa, however, refused to comment on the issue of transfer of power or about difference with the JD (S) leaders.
Later, Mr Kumaraswamy said the meeting was cancelled as some the JD (S) ministers, who are the members of the Co-ordination Committee, were away from the City. To a query on difference with the BJP, Mr Kumaraswamy said that differences are common in a coalition government as even the single party government is not averse from such differences. Asked whether he will take steps to defuse the differences between the coalition partners, the chief minister said: “No such situation is prevailing at the moment.” He also said that the meeting of the Co-ordination Committee would be convened next week.
CM TAKES A DIG AT BJP
Bellary, dhns: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday night took the BJP to task for demanding the coordination committee meeting. “Why and for whose sake the meeting should be convened. When there is need for you (BJP), then only you think of the coordination committee meeting”, he said while addressing a public meeting in Bellary before leaving for his night stay at Mustigatti village. The BJP had thought of the coordination committee meeting when appointments to boards and corporations were made. “Again now you want power and you have thought of the meeting”, he added.
“We have not hankered for power. I am not keen on staying in power and running the affairs from Vidhana Soudha. Even as I near end of my tenure, I am touring to listen to people’s problems”, he said. “ I know there are people who have been waiting for the last 20-30 years to become chief ministers”, he pointed out.