The Hindu : JD(S), AIJD resume talks on merger

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

JD(S), AIJD resume talks on merger

By S.Rajendran

Bangalore March 31. The merger of the Janata Dal parties gained ground today with the former Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda, holding a preliminary round of discussions with the second line leaders of the All India Janata Dal in the presence of the veerashaiva religious leader, the Suttur Math swamiji, who has been promoting the cause of a united Janata parivar.

Sources in the two Janata Dal parties told The Hindu that the former Prime Minister would meet the national President of the All India Janata Dal (AIJD), S.R.Bommai, on April 4, soon after Ugadi.

Incidentally, the BJP MP, M. Rajashekhar Murthy, who was the Finance Minister in the Veerendra Patil Government, has come into focus with Mr. Gowda reportedly stating that his meeting with Mr. Bommai should be in the presence of Mr. Murthy, apart from the Veerashaiva pontiff. Mr. Murthy participated in the discussions today.

With the merger discussions coming into focus, the crisis in the AIJD triggered by the Floor Leader of the Janata Dal (United) in the Legislative Assembly and former Minister, P. G. R. Sindhia, seeking to maintain a separate identity, has blown over. Mr. Sindhia, who was present during talks today, reportedly said that he would accept the presidentship of C.Byre Gowda in the State AIJD. With this, a split in the AIJD has been averted. Earlier, Mr. Sindhia and the former Minister, B.N.Bachche Gowda, were keen to take over the presidentship of the State unit of the AIJD and the appointment of Mr. Byre Gowda had disappointed them considerably.

Apart from Mr. Deve Gowda, M.P.Prakash, A.B.Patil, S.S.Patil, Hampana Gowda, V.Somanna, Mahantesh Koujalgi, and Mahadev Prasad, were present in the discussions today. The former Prime Minister, who was the lone representative from the JD(S), has reportedly intimated his party's State unit President, Siddaramaiah, about the talks.

Meanwhile, the JD(U) Legislature Party, which met here today with the agenda of seeking a separate block of seats for the party legislators in the two houses of the Legislature, took stock of the merger developments. The party leadership has to collect signatures of its legislators on a letter to be addressed to the presiding officers of the two houses. This is likely to take more time in the light of the merger discussions.

A section of the legislators, led by Mr. Sindhia, was opposed to submitting any affidavit since it would apparently tantamount to supporting the All India Janata Dal. Mr. Sindhia has been working for the unity of the Janata Parivar as, in his perception, it was the only way for the party to survive, if not win the next Assembly elections. The merger discussions, initiated all of a sudden today, has come as a pleasant surprise to the workers of the two parties although a few second line leaders have expressed their reservations on some issues. Mr. Deve Gowda told The Hindu that he favoured merger since it would strengthen the Janata parivar. However, it was for the AIJD to first sort out the differences among its leaders. "I am not interested in putting a spoke in the wheel. I am ready to hold discussions since I am genuinely interested in the Janata Parivar. Having occupied one of the highest offices in the country, I am not interested in any position," he said.

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JD(S), AIJD resume talks on merger