Bommai fails to find a solution
to Karnataka leadership tussle
A solution to the leadership crisis in the ruling Janata Dal in Karnataka, on the eve of the crucial
JD legislature party meeting, remained elusive after senior party politician S R Bommai completed one round of talks today with the groups for and against the continuance of J H Patel as chief minister.
Bommai, who held consultations with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, who has been the rallying point for the dissident legislators, however, declined to reveal the strength of the rival groups.
Admitting that the dissidents had sought a secret ballot to decide the leadership, Bommai said he would leave the matter to party president Sharad Yadav who is arriving in Bangalore tonight for the JDLP meeting convened on his direction.
Bommai said he and Deve Gowda would meet a team of senior ministers and later speak to Patel in an attempt to arrive at an amicable solution. If the move failed, the issue would be left to Yadav, he added.
Earlier, in a dramatic move this morning, a majority of the ministers in the Patel government and some party MLAs went in a procession to Deve Gowda's residence and urged him and Bommai to find a solution to the issue without changing the leadership.
The ministers, numbering about 30, were led by Forests Minister D Manjunath and Rural Development Minister M P Prakash.
They impressed upon the two senior politicians the need for stability in both the party and the government as assembly elections are due in the state next year.
Deputy Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah and his supporters Dr H C Mahadevappa (health) and D T Jayakumar (horticulture) were, however, conspicuous by their absence.
But some of the dissidents, who had also come to meet Deve Gowda and Bommai, said the leadership was the main issue and had to be settled.
UNI
Tell us what you think of this report
|
