BALCO talks fail, Jogi blamed

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 16. The Centre today sought to distance itself from the BALCO controversy by blaming the Chhatisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, for the continuing stalemate. ``I fail to understand Mr. Jogi's behaviour. The stalemate is because of the Chhatisgarh Chief Minister,'' the Union Mines Minister, Mr. Sunderlal Patwa, told newsmen after the breakdown of tripartite talks among the Centre, BALCO unions and the Chhatisgarh Government.

Accusing the unions and the State Government of attempting to re- open discussions on the sale of majority share in BALCO to a private company, Mr. Patwa asserted that this issue could not be discussed. ``Disinvestment has already taken place, the Government has accepted the money, so there is no question of discussing this issue,'' Mr. Patwa said.

``Mr. Jogi reversed his stand. He refused to join the second round of talks along with new BALCO management despite his earlier assurance. He rang me up today and said he cannot come as

his party had made a resolution... with this, my role to resolve the issue comes to an end,'' said the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister. ``My role was of an informal nature after Mr. Jogi asked me to intervene. He changed his stand,'' said Mr. Patwa.

However, the unions remained defiant and said they would chalk out the future course of agitation after consultation with the workers in Korba, the location of the main BALCO plant. Mr. Baleshwar Jha, heading a seven-union front, accused Mr. Patwa of taking an unyielding stand. ``He did not budge an inch,'' he said after the talks had failed yet again.

Responding to the union's charge, Mr. Patwa admitted that the unions had submitted four options. But none of them could be considered because all of them related to reversing the disinvestment decision and reverting the company to the Government fold. ``We have crossed that bridge. I am powerless to take a decision of this nature,'' he noted, adding that he was committed to the welfare of the workers but the disinvestment decision could not be reopened under any circumstances. ``There is no question,'' he asserted repeatedly.

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