Veerappan — Krishna calls all party meet today

Official sources said Krishna would take opposition leaders and MPs into confidence on the issue and the next strategy would be worked out only after his meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The all-party meet, which would be the fifth since the Kannada thespian was kidnapped by Veerappan on July 30, comes in the wake of journalist-emissary R R Gopal returning empty handed after his fourth mission and a hostage Nagappa Maradagi escaping from the forest brigand’s custody, which the emissary said gave a "setback" to his negotiations to end the crisis.

The last all-party meet, held after Gopal’s third mission failed, opposition leaders had disfavoured reliance on Gopal, and had told the government to put in place alternative strategies including deployment of another emissary.