JD(S) PAC to decide on its future with BJP in K'taka

New Delhi, Oct 5: The Political Affairs Committee of the Janata Dal (Secular) will meet here this evening to take a formal decision on the transfer of power to BJP in Karnataka even as the clouds of mid-term elections loom large over the state owing to the ongoing power struggle between the two coalition partners.

The transfer of power which should have taken place on October 3 has been kept on hold with the BJP ministers tendering their resignations and keeping away from the Cabinet meeting in Bangalore this morning. The JD(S) has also made it clear that the transfer of power to the BJP and chief ministership to its leader B S Yediyurappa was ''non-negotiable'' leaving very little scope for a compromise between the two partners.

With the Congress not inclined to support the JD(S) in forming a government, the leaders of BJP and JD(S) are openly talking about going to people being the best solution. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who met Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur late last night, has recommended convening of the Karnataka Assembly on October 18 for demonstrating his strength in the House.

The meeting assumes significance as the JD(S) will have to communicate its decision to the BJP this evening. The BJP has scheduled its Parliamentary Board meeting tomorrow morning on the intimation from JD(S) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda that his party would be taking the decision at its PAC meeting.

Although Mr Gowda has stated that he would meet BJP President Rajnath Singh, JD(S) sources said there may not be any need for the talks as there was no meeting point between the two parties.

The meeting, to be held at the residence of JD(S) President and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, is being attended by Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Home Minister M P Prakash, state JD(S) President Mirajuddin Patel, party Secretary General K Danish Ali, senior party leaders M W Siddiqui, Arjun Dehta, Mohammad P Ismail and Ram Lakhan Singh.

UNI