BANGALORE: Hectic parleys to break the logjam over ministry-making exercise in Karnataka continued for the third consecutive day today, with no immediate solution in sight.Grappling with the ministry-making crisis following deep intra-party divisions, BJP General Secretary Dharmendra Pradhan held separate consultations with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and state unit party President K S Eshwarappa, besides rival group leader Jagadish Shettar."There is consensus on most of the issues. Discussions are still on. There is no groupism in the party. We are all united. Efforts are on to see that first phase of ministry expansion takes place today itself. Otherwise, the exercise will be carried out on August 10," Eshwarappa, who is identified with Shettar group told reporters.Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who was sworn in on Aug 4, exuded confidence about finding an early solution."I will abide by whatever decision the party High Command takes. I have no personal opinion on these issues," he said.According to party sources, the stand off is continuing as BJP central leadership is not in favour of creating a Deputy Chief Minister's post, for which Shettar has been pressing.Pradhan has reportedly communicated the party decision to Shettar, who lost out in the race for chief ministership to Gowda in a secret ballot.After holding talks with Eshwarappa, Pradhan summoned Shettar and former ministers Ashok and V S Acharya and other senior leaders for consultations.Gowda has been in talks with both the groups to end the crisis over ministry expansion.Meanwhile, KPCC President G Parameshwara flayed the delay in ministry expansion."The administrative machinery in the state has come to a grinding halt in the last fortnight," he alleged while speaking to reporters at Tumkur. He said his party would wait for two or three days and later petition the Governor seeking his intervention.Emerging from the meeting with senior leaders, Pradhan said "the issue will be solved soon".However, he declined sharing further details of the negotiations.C T Ravi, MLA, an aspirant for the ministerial berth, said creation of Deputy Chief Minister's post has been a bone of contention.He said in none of the BJP ruled states, the post of Deputy Chief Minister has been created and the party would take a decision on it shortly.
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