The BJP on Thursday announced that the 20-months-each agreement for power sharing between the  saffron party and the JD (S) “has to be implemented” and that the candidature of B S Yediyurappa for the post of  Chief Minister of Karnataka was “non-negotiable”.

After the Central Parliamentary Board’s (CPB) meeting here on Thursday, BJP Vice-President Yashwant Sinha said the decision of the CPB would be conveyed to JD(S) President H D Deve Gowda. “Depending on his response the CPB will take an “appropriate step”, Sinha added. The BJP leader, who is also in-charge of Karnataka, said BJP President Rajnath Singh had received a call from Mr Gowda informing him about the latter’s arrival here on Friday for his party’s meeting. Gowda will  meet Singh after the JD(S) meeting.

Sinha said the CPB would meet again on Saturday to take stock of things afresh. The Board has approved of all the steps taken in Bangalore by the state leaders and the party was taking steps carefully.

The party has also taken note of the comments made by the JD(S) leaders in Karnataka and “did not approve of it”, he added. Mr Sinha said his party believed in good political behaviour and since Mr Gowda wanted to meet the party president “we will provide that opportunity.”


Ananth’s choice
To queries whether or not the BJP leader from Karnataka, Ananth Kumar, supported the candidature of Yediyurappa as chief minister, Sinha said it was  Kumar who had taken the lead in declaring Yediyurappa as the candidate.

The BJP ministers (who have resigned) will not attend Friday’s cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Mr Sinha said.

To another query on the possibility of  elections, he said the BJP has all options open and it was natural for a political party to be ready for any eventuality.