Date:02/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/02/stories/2007060203380400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP decides to ignore Iqbal Ansari's remarks

S. Rajendran

`Any reaction could disturb the good relationship between the two parties'

Bangalore: Senior Ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday met under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and discussed recent political developments, including the scheduled transfer of power by the Janata Dal (Secular) to the BJP in October. The meeting assumes importance in the light of the doubts raised by Labour Minister Iqbal Ansari on the transfer of power.

Sources in the BJP said the party leadership, though upset, would not react to Mr. Ansari's statement that 30 BJP MLAs wanted H.D. Kumaraswamy to continue as Chief Minister.

The BJP Ministers believe that Mr. Ansari would not have made the statement unless the top leadership of the JD (S) had approved it. "We have decided to ignore the statement of the Labour Minister," said a senior BJP source. "Any reaction at the present juncture could disturb the good relationship between the two parties."

Mr. Yediyurappa said he was confident that Mr. Kumaraswamy would hand over charge to the BJP in October.

Among the Ministers who participated in the meeting were Jagadish Shettar, D.H. Shankaramurthy, R. Ashok, Katta Subramanya Naidu, V.S. Acharya, Ramachandra Gowda and K.S. Eshwarappa.

Damage control

Top JD(S) and BJP leaders are in damage control mode, with the JD(S) saying that there is no truth in the Mr. Ansari's statement and that it will honour the agreement with the BJP.

However, the BJP remains sceptical. Apart from Mr. Ansari, two other Ministers, H.D. Revanna and H.K. Kumaraswamy, have also made similar statements in recent weeks.

Both the Chief Minister and Mr. Ansari said they were committed to the agreement with the BJP.

The coordination committee of the two parties, constituted to resolve sensitive issues between the two coalition partners, has not met for over two months. Mr. Ansari is a member of the coordination committee.

Other subjects that figured at the BJP Ministers' meeting included allocation of funds for various development projects and the controversial statement of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the inter-State river water dispute between Karnataka and Goa.