Krishna rules out seeking Centre’s help

BANGALORE, SEPT 4: The Karnataka Government on Monday ruled out seeking Central assistance to put an end to the Rajkumar kidnap episode. The state feels that a “decisive stage” had reached in the management of the crisis and it hoped to hear “something positive” in a couple of days from journalist-emissary R R Gopal, who is said to be negotiating with Veerappan for the safe and smooth release of the hostages including thespian Rajkumar.

Talking to mediapersons after an emergency meeting of the state cabinet convened to discuss the Rajkumar episode, Chief Minister S M Krishna said that the government would not seek Central assistance. Instead, it would enlist the support of the opposition leaders in resolving the crisis.

Briefing mediapersons about the Cabinet meeting, State Information and Publicity Minister B K Chandrashekar said that the Cabinet endorsed the steps and strategies adopted by the government right from the beginning of Rajkumar’s kidnapping and the Cabinet members were unanimous in their decision to continue the strategy.

Chandrashekar said the Chief Minister told his Cabinet colleagues that the state government had kept Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L.K. Advani informed about the steps taken towards resolving the crisis and he claimed that the Centre was fully in agreement with the approach of both Tamil nadu and Karnataka governments’ line of action to secure the safe release of the hostages.