BJP Parliamentary Board to meet on Oct 6 on Karnataka issue

New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) The BJP's Parliamentary Board, the apex decision making body of the party, today reviewed the recent political developments in Karnataka and decided to meet again on October 6 to firm up its stand on the issue of transfer of power in the state.

Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, addressing reporters after the one-and-a-half hour meeting, said the Board had decided to meet again in view of a communication received by BJP President Rajnath Singh from Janata Dal (S) President H D Dewe Gowda that the Political Affairs Committee of the JD(S) would be meeting tomorrow to finalise the party's stand on the matter.

Besides members of the Parliamentary Board, the meeting was attended by Karnataka BJP President Sadanand Gowda and BJP's chief ministerial nominee B S Yediyurappa.

Mr Sinha said the Board approved of the talks held by BJP leaders Ananth Kumar, Venkaiah Naidu and himself with Karnataka leaders on the issue of transfer of power to the BJP which was to be done on October 2 as per the arrangement between the two parties.

All of them briefed the Board on the recent developments in Karnataka and about the consultations they held with JD(S) leaders, Mr Sinha said.

He said the Board was of the view that the understanding arrived between the two parties must be honoured. ''Mr Yediyurappa is our candidate for chief ministership and this is non-negotiable, which would be conveyed to Mr Deve Gowda,'' he said.

It had been decided that the Board would meet again on October 6 at 1030 hrs to take its stand on the matter, he said.

UNI