Karnataka: No option but to go for polls, says JD-S

If everything had gone as per plans, then the smooth transfer of power should have taken place on Wednesday in Karnataka.

However, the relationship between the coalition partners, the Janata Dal-Secular and the Bharatiya Janata Party has run into troubled waters now.

The JD-S, which made a last ditch attempt on Wednesday, now says there is no option but to go for elections now.

Senior JD-S leaders say the atmosphere is condusive for elections and are hopeful of doing well in the polls.

Senior JD-S leaders have even come to the conclusion that there shall be no power-sharing with both the Congress and the BJP and it would be best to face the elections.

The JD-S feels that the swing of the electorate is on their side especially after their impressive performance in the local body polls, which was held recently.

The JD-S with over 1,400 seats swept the polls. The Congress came second, while the BJP was third.

On Wednesday, the JD-S made one last attempt for a truce with the BJP.

However, that did not come through. The JD-S had earlier sought that the existing set continued with Kumaraswamy as the chief minister.

However, on Wednesday the JD-S said that power could be transfered if the BJP changed its chief ministerial candidate B S Yediyurappa.

The JD-S said that if Yediyurappa became CM, then the government could face problems as the IAS lobby is opposed to him.

The IAS lobby is up in arms against Yediyurappa as they feel he is too short tempered thus making it difficult to work with him.

The BJP however stuck to its guns and said there shall be no change in its chief ministerial candidate whatsoever.

However, the BJP too realises now that the only way to get the talks between parties on track is to take a softer approach.

A senior BJP leader said that things have gone out of hand during the past few days.

Both the parties have taken adamant stands, which is not good.

The BJP is now trying to create an atmosphere, which is conducive for talks between the two parties.

However, the BJP says that the talks would aim at convincing the JD-S and not making compromises.

The Intelligence Bureaum which is following the developments closely, says that both the Congress and the BJP are not prepared to face the elections.

The IB says the only party confident of facing the polls is the JD-S. The JD-S, before jumping the gun, will however make one last attempt to work things out with the Congress.