Shocked by the decision of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to convene an emergency meeting of the state cabinet, the BJP is understood to have warned the JD(S) that the party may withdraw from the coalition if it was indeed held.

The BJP is understood be of the view that if the cabinet meets and decides to seek an Assembly session in a fortnight, that would practically end its last ray of hope of a rapprochement with JD(S).  It is  believed that by convening the session – possibly from October 18 – the chief minister may use the time  to build bridges with the Congress. The BJP has already decided that its ministers – who have resigned — will not attend the cabinet meet.

Deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa decided to rush back to Bangalore, soon after the BJP Parliamentary Board meet, saying that it was because of a positive development.

Yediyurappa, who stayed at Karnataka Bhavan but not in the designated room for the deputy CM, is scheduled to return to Delhi on Friday. The day will see the all-important meeting of the political affairs committee of the JD(S) at 3.30 pm at the JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda’s residence.

Breakthrough
Earlier, Yediyurappa expressed hope that a breakthrough would emerge in the next two days during talks when Gowda would meet BJP president Rajnath Singh. Observing that he too was prepared to talk to Gowda, he remarked: “I have full confidence in Kumaraswamy.”

Noting that there was no scope for any hard bargaining by its alliance partner and asked it to adhere “gracefully” to the power-sharing pact.

“We have made it clear to the central leadership (of BJP) that we are against any change in the agreement that was arrived at 20 months ago. Not even a single diversion.... There should be no fresh demands.”