Date:10/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/10/stories/2005061010390300.htm

Karnataka - Bellary

Janata Parivar will unite soon: Thippanna

Staff Correspondent

BELLARY: N. Thippanna, President of the State unit of the Janata Dal (Secular), is hopeful that the Janata Parivar will unite soon. "Most of the people who kept themselves away from the Janata Dal (S) are now keen on joining the party at a mega convention to be organised at Chitradurga shortly," he said here on Thursday.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Thippanna said efforts of party leaders to forge unity between the two groups of Janata Dal are yielding positive results. He claimed that in addition to members of the Janata Dal (United) coming into the party fold, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress members too would join the Janata Dal (S) during the proposed convention.

The rallies organised by the party, the tour undertaken by former Prime Minister and party President, H.D. Deve Gowda, and other leaders on the one hand and the pro-people, pro-farmer programmes and policies of the Government on the other have given a boost to the party's image, he claimed.

"Of the six MLAs of the Janata Dal (U), almost all have decided to join our party. Only a couple of them such as Basavaraj Bommai and M.P. Nadagouda are not keen for reasons best known to themselves. It is better that they too join the mainstream," Mr. Thippanna said.

Asked whether the Janata Dal (S) would continue to be part of the coalition Government in the event of Mr. Dharam Singh being replaced, Mr. Thippanna said the party will have to think about it. He said that he did not foresee a change in leadership.