Bangalore, Sept 28 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has expressed the hope that there would be a smooth handover of power in the state, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to convince the Janata Dal (Secular) in this regard.

Yediyurappa said the BJP would hold talks with the JD(S) after September 30, the day when the results of the urban local bodies elections are scheduled to be declared.

“At the moment the party is busy with the polls,” Yediyurappa was quoted by a website as saying.

However, the BJP has doubts whether the JD(S) would continue to support the government for long.

Yesterday, H D Kumaraswamy said that he would step down as Chief Minister on October 3 as per the power-sharing agreement with the BJP.

Earlier, the JD-S pulled out of talks with the BJP on transfer of power.

Former Prime Minister and JD-S president H D Deve Gowda said that he would not be talking to the BJP leaders on the issue until the latter created an atmosphere conducive for talks.

At a news conference, Deve Gowda appeared to rule out the possibility of the BJP taking over the reins of governance in Karnataka from October 3, accusing it of behaving in a boorish manner.

Striking a belligerent note after his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy faced criminal charges from his own cabinet colleague, Deve Gowda rushed back to Bangalore on Thursday morning in a huff calling off his parleys with top BJP leaders, including its president Rajnath Singh.

"I will not resume talks till a congenial atmosphere is created by BJP leaders. The situation is not conducive for talks on power transfer. How can I do that when my son is facing grave charges of attempt to murder that too by a minister of his cabinet," Gowda told reporters here.

Dropping clear hints that JD(S) will not transfer power to BJP on October 3, as per the agreement reached earlier, Gowda threw the ball back into the BJP court, saying "till the situation becomes clear there is no point in holding talks on power transfer with BJP national leaders."

"The day when BJP leaders create a healthy atmosphere for such talks, I will go for talks, if BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Vajpayee call me," he said.

State Tourism Minister Sriramulu had on September 25 lodged a complaint with Kaul Bazar police station in Bellary alleging that Kumaraswamy was behind a "conspiracy" to eliminate him.

Gowda was in Delhi this week to meet Rajnath Singh to discuss the power transfer issue. (With inputs from ANI)