The one and a half hour-long meeting attended by almost entire top brass of JD (S) including H D Deve Gowda, H D Kumaraswamy, Merajuddin Patel and M P Prakash, decided to authorise party supremo H D Devegowda and son H D Kumaraswamy to take a final decision, in the event of BJP refusing to sign the MoU drafted by Gowda, on Monday.

The meeting is also said to have decided to seek transfer of such portfolios as Urban Development, Mines and Geology, BDA, Power and PWD to the JD  (S) in lieu of Health and Family Welfare which will be given to the BJP.

Failed to respond
Referring to the 12 conditions laid down by him, Devegowda is said to have told the legislators that so far the BJP has failed to respond to his letter.

Further he is said to have made it clear to the legislators that it would be difficult to run the government without some “understanding” on some issues.

“If the BJP fails to sign the MoU, we will have to  withdraw our support”, Devegowda is learnt to have stated at the meeting. Speaking to newsmen after the meeting Kumaraswamy said Devegowda explained to the legislators the need to sign such a pact for the smooth functioning of the Government.

He said that a three-member core committee was formed to decide the future course of action if BJP refused to sign the MoU.

The core committee consisting party leaders M P Prakash, D Manjunath and Merajuddin Patel will discuss the response of BJP on the issue of MoU and decide the future course of action before legislators attend the one-day special assembly session on Monday, he said.

A senior minister, who did not wish to be quoted, clearly stated that the JD (S) meeting scheduled at 9 am on  Monday would decide to withdraw the support to BJP if the latter refused to sign the MoU.

Magadi MLA H C Balakrishna is said to have expressed the view that in the past  much damage had been done to the image of Kumaraswamy as well as JD (S) following the decision not to hand over power to BJP.

“But now before proceeding further, analyse properly the impact of your decisions on Kumaraswamy’s image as well as the party image and also on the future of legislators,” he told the meeting. H D Revanna, who is a serious contender for the deputy chief minister’s post, is said to have complained that Yeddyurappa had not shown the courtesy to invite him for the swearing-in ceremony.

Even as the JDLP meeting was underway, some supporters of JD (S) MLA from Sandur, Santosh Lad went in a procession to the JD (S) office demanding ministerial berth to Lad. The procession was taken out under the aegis Kshatriya/Maratha Sangha.

They submitted a memorandum to Kumaraswamy.

It may be mentioned that Lad had identified with M P Prakash, when the latter tried to form government with Congress support.