Party panel meet on October 5

NEW DELHI: The political affairs committee of the JD(S) will meet here on October 5 to take a decision on the developments in Kar-nataka, in a clear hint that it may not transfer power to ally BJP on October 3.

The Friday meeting will take stock of the political developments in the state, besides discussing the 20 months in power and the victory in recent local body polls, JD(S) spokesman Danish Ali said here on Monday. “Don't expect any decision on Karnataka before October 5.

What-ever the decision, it will be taken only in the meeting on October 5 or after that,” Mr Ali told agencies. Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and other legislators have assured the central lead-ership that they will go by what the party high command decides on the issue of transfer of power, Mr Ali said.

“The decision to ally with the BJP was taken by legislators. This time, they have assured us that they will abide by the decision of the high command,” Mr Ali said. The BJP has so far failed to elicit any positive response from the JD(S) on power transfer as agreed upon 20 months ago when the latter broke ranks with the Con-gress to form a government in the state.

Though the saffron party had rushed veteran leader Yashwant Sinha to facilitate power transfer talks, JD(S) chief H D Devegowda had been adamant and was putting blocks from time to time. The emergence of JD(S) as the single-largest party in the urban bodies elections in 27 districts in the state has also emboldened Mr Gowda.