Karnataka crisis
Patel defies Sharad Yadav

BANGALORE, Oct 25 (PTI) — In an act of defiance, the Karnataka Chief Minister Mr J.H. Patel, today rejected the Janata Dal President Mr Sharad Yadav’s directive to postpone the Assembly session beginning on Thursday and for convening the Dal Legislature Party meeting to settle the leadership issue.

Hours after Mr Yadav’s message to seek postponement of the Assembly session to avoid a split in the party reached him, the Chief Minister said it was technically and legally not possible to postpone it as the Governor had already issued a notification.

Mr Patel’s show of defiance came even as the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Siddaramaiah, who had mounted a revolt against Mr Patel’s leadership some months ago, made efforts for a rapprochement between the two warring factions.

Maintaining that it was not an act of defiance, Mr Patel said the JDLP could not be held during the session for "various reasons" and that senior ministers advised him in this regard.

"Holding the JDLP during the session will not be wise", said Mr Patel who had earlier maintained the legislature party meet would be convened during the session.

Mr Sharad Yadav, who is in Madhya Pradesh, sent a communication in which he stressed the need for amicably settling the issue within the JDLP after nearly 50 MLAs had petitioned him for his intervention.

Mr Patel said he had explained this to Mr Yadav who accepted the position, and maintained the central leadership had not set any time-frame for him to convene the JDLP meeting.

Mr Patel said he was ready to discuss everything, including the leadership issue, in the JDLP and prove his majority, but the dissidents could not fix the date and time.

Mr Patel said he had spoken to the party Secretary General Bapu Kaldate, who had sent him the communication on postponing the session, as well party leaders Mr I.K. Gujral, Mr Jaipal Reddy, who all held the view that the party should remain united.

Mr Kaldate told him that Mr Yadav would give instructions on the JDLP after completion of his present election tour of Madhya Pradesh, he added.

Referring to the crisis, Mr Patel said dissidents might be dissatisfied but "we will find a way to solve the problem."

Mr Patel said seven of the 46 MLAs who submitted a memorandum to him yesterday expressing lack of faith in his leadership, had denied having signed the petition, and had pledged their loyalty to him.

Asked if he would seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly, saying "there may not be an occasion for this. But if the need arises, we will do it".

Mr Patel expressed his anguish over the development in the party and wanted a solution to be found at the earliest so that the government work could go on.

Asked whether he anticipated a showdown in the JDLP meeting, Mr Patel quipped "it may not be a showdown, but may be a closedown".

Meanwhile, senior ministers, led by Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have intensified efforts for a patch-up between the two warring factions.