Chatting with reporters after inaugurating the urban local body election campaign here, Mr Patel said that the party had not made its stand known, either on transfer or non-transfer of power, anywhere.
The JD (S) is canvassing its secular credentials by maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress.

To safeguard party interests, most of the legislators led by H D Kumaraswamy, had earlier formed a coalition government with the BJP, a move not approved by the high command which had suspended them.

Later, after perusing the report on the events, the suspension was revoked, Mr Patel recalled and said that now, the situation was entirely different and everything would be done according to the instructions of the high command. Cagey in replying to queries, he sought to separate poll issue from that of power transfer. The poll results will definitely not affect the latter in any way. Moreover, as the alliance with the BJP was not approved by the JD(S) high command, there was no impact on the party ideology, Patel felt.

He was also not forthcoming on the precise date of power transfer, preferring to focus on the elections.