The much-awaited power transfer for the BJP has become more elusive.

In a sudden political development that has given jitters to the BJP camp, JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Thursday suspended talks with the leaders of the coalition partner over power transfer and declared that the transfer of power is unlikely unless the saffron party set right issues that had dented the reputation of his son, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

He was referring to Tourism Minister B Sriramulu’s lodging an attempt to murder complaint against Mr Kumaraswamy on Tuesday in Bellary recently. “This is the first time in the history that a cabinet minister has levelled grave charges against the Chief Minister. This is not the first time he has been humiliated. There is a limit for everybody for being patient,” Mr Gowda thundered.

The former prime minister, who abruptly returned from Delhi on Wednesday, where he was scheduled to hold talks with BJP national leaders on Thursday, told reporters here that the atmosphere was not “conducive” to hold any talks.

“How I can hold talks when my son (Mr Kumaraswamy) is facing grave charges of attempt to murder, that too by a minister of his cabinet,” he asked.

“If this is the case with the Chief Minister, what will happen to the common man if they (the BJP) come to power,” he questioned and added that till the situation became clear, there was no point in holding talks with BJP national leaders.

Though Mr Gowda said that he will wait till the BJP leaders sort out these issues, he did not set any deadline.

Ball in BJP court

To a pointed question as to whether power transfer will happen on October 3 as scheduled, he said that it depends on how fast the BJP leaders come back to him after sorting out all issues. However, he did not reveal as to what his expectations are from the BJP.

To another question as to whether Mr Kumaraswamy will continue as Chief Minister even after October 3, the JD (S) supremo said he will be the Chief Minister as long as he enjoyed the support of MLAs of both parties.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP, he said though Mr Kumaraswamy was humiliated by their own party men in the last 20 months, the BJP remained a mute spectator. “If the BJP had taken these issues seriously, it would have asked the Chief Minister to drop Mr Sriramulu immediately,” he alleged.