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Bommai begins peace mission in Bangalore

Senior Janata Dal politician S R Bommai, a former president of the party, today expressed confidence that the crisis in the Karnataka unit would blow over.

Bommai, who began a trouble-shooting mission in an attempt to put an end to the crisis in his home state, the only province now ruled by the Dal, told the media at Patel's residence that 'there will be a smooth solution'.

The former Union minister, who arrived in Bangalore last night, had already spoken to former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on telephone twice and is expected to meet him later today.

Patel said the meeting of the Janata Dal Legislature Party, which was scheduled to be held on October 28, has been postponed in view of the meeting of the Cauvery River Authority convened by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on the same day.

Since this is the CRA's first meeting, Patel said his attendance was imperative. The JDLP will now meet during the legislature session that begins on October 29.

Denying Deve Gowda's charge that he (Patel) had colluded with the opposition, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party, the chief minister said the former prime minister might have been misled. "It's not true. I can never think of it."

UNI

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