Date:05/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/05/stories/2005080508150500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Siddaramaiah postpones meet for want of quorum

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: A meeting of the Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party convened by the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, at his residence here on Thursday was postponed for want of quorum.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Siddaramaiah said a number of legislators from the Janata Dal (S) have gone to their constituencies as the legislature was adjourned sine die two days in advance. He had to postpone the meeting, which he claimed was the official one, as the required number of 12 legislators could not attend it. The legislators have expressed their confidence in his leadership and he will continue to be the leader of the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party.

Apart from Mr. Siddaramaiah, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, H.C. Mahadevappa; the Minister of State for Textiles, Satish Jarakiholi, and the MLAs, H.Y. Meti, B.R. Patil, M.K. Somasekhar, K. Venkatesh and Manchanahalli Mahadev, attended the meeting. K.M. Krishna Murthy, MLA, arrived after the meeting was postponed.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the meeting convened by other group of legislators that elected the Revenue Minister, M.P. Prakash, as the new leader of the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party is illegal and it is for the Speaker, Krishna, to take a decision on the matter.

The Deputy Chief Minister said even the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, has not informed him about the developments. The Chief Minister has not asked him to resign. Mr. Siddaramaiah hoped that Mr. Dharam Singh would not commit that mistake.