Patel spurns Gowda over JDLP

Bangalore, Oct 24: Chief Minister J H Patel has rejected the demand of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to convene a meeting of the J...

Bangalore, Oct 24: Chief Minister J H Patel has rejected the demand of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to convene a meeting of the Janata Dal Legislature Party JDLP before October 28 to prove his strength.

Reacting to Gowda8217;s demand that he Patel should prove his majority in the JDLP on October 26 or 27, the Chief Minister told news persons on Saturday that it was not possible to hold the JDLP meeting before October 28, as he had to attend the crucial meeting of the Cauvery River Authority CRA at New Delhi on that day. 8220;I will convene the JDLP meeting on any day after the session begins8221;, he said.

Patel said he was confident of facing the JDLP and proving support of the majority of the legislators. Asked whether he had received any memorandum from the dissidents, demanding convening of the JDLP either on October 26 or 27 before the start of the session, Patel said he had not even seen them so far. 8220;Anyhow, they cannot set time and date for me. Heavens will not come down if the meeting isnot called by then8221;.

The JDLP meeting was not being cancelled but had been only postponed to a later date from the originally scheduled October 28 due to his visit to new Delhi, he said.

Meanwhile, some ministers including Transport Minister P G R Sindhia, Rural Development Minister M P Prakash and others continued parleys with MLAs to defuse the crisis. Sindhia, who told news persons that he would continue his efforts to defuse the situation, later called on Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and held discussions with him. Sources in the Patel camp said that Former Union Minister S R Bommai was in touch with Gowda.

Agencies report that 12 dissident MLAs released to the press copies of a memorandum rejecting the leadership of Patel to Sharad Yadav. The memorandum says the workers were demoralised by the tarnished image of the government under the leadership of Patel8217;. Pleading for Yadav8217;s intervention, they also asked him to send an observer to the JDLP meet to enable the process to run smoothlyand impartially8217;.

The dissidents said he should seek the confidence vote from the JDLP and charged him with making provocative statements8217;.