The much-ballyhooed power transfer issue overshadowed the BJP’s State Executive Committee meeting, which was actually convened to discuss organisational issues, in Bangalore on Sunday.

Though burning issues like Naxalism, farmers’ suicide, terrorism and “step-motherly” treatment by the UPA Government were projected as being on the top of the agenda, it was, in fact, the power transfer issue that dominated the scene at Sardar Patel Bhavan in Vasanthnagar -- the venue of the meeting.

‘Honour your word’
And, surprisingly, it was not just State leaders to talk about it: National leaders like M Venkaiah Naidu and Yashwant Sinha, who attended the meet, spoke at length over the issue and asked coalition partner JD (S) to honour the “solemn” understanding reached between the parties while forming the coalition government in 2006. Mr Naidu even clarified that there was nothing secret about the agreement and that it was not between any two leaders, but between two parties. “It is not a secret agreement between Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. It is an agreement between two political parties,” he stated.

The statement by Naidu, who played an active role in the installation of JD (S)-BJP coalition during January-February 2006, assumed significance in the backdrop of JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda distancing himself from the coalition.

Gowda had stuck to his point of view that the coalition agreement was between his son Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Yediyurappa and did not have the approval of the party.

“I am sure the JD (S) is going to transfer power on October 3. Both the parties have told the people that they would share power for a tenure of 20 months each,” Naidu asserted,  indicating that his party will not take the power transfer issue lightly. Mr Sinha, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, exuded optimism on the JD(S) transferring power to the BJP. “I am confident that Yediyurappa will become the Chief Minister. There is no need to worry on this,” he said. BJP National Secretary Anantkumar, party’s Organising Secretary Satish, Mr Yediyurappa, ministers representing BJP in the coalition and its almost all legislators attended the meeting.

Later, the party’s State General Secretary C T Ravi told reporters that three resolutions were passed, pressing both the State and the Union governments to initiate action to check farmers’ suicide cases, to take measures to ensure safety against terrorism and Naxal activities, and to stop “step-motherly” treatment to the State as far as  assistance are concerned.