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Janata Dal will die a natural death, says Jalappa

Senior Congress politician and former Union minister R L Jalappa has expressed serious doubts about the continuance of the Janata Dal government in Karnataka in view of the increased dissident activity in the party.

Addressing a media conference in the South Canara town of Udupi last evening, Jalappa demanded the removal of the J H Patel government 'for the betterment of the state'.

Jalappa described former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's statement that he would see to it that the Dal retains power in the state after the next assembly election as a distant dream. Only because of Ramakrishna Hegde, now Union minister, did the Janata Dal come to power, but Deve Gowda had him (Hegde) expelled, he said.

The Janata Dal will die a natural death because of its internal wrangles, he predicted.

But in Gulbarga, Karnataka Backward Classes and Minorities Minister Malikaya Guttedar, identified with the dissident group in the ruling party, today said there was no demand for a change of leadership in the state.

Guttedar said the legislators who were upset with the functioning of the government had sought Deve Gowda's intervention to arrest the slide in the party's popularity.

But the minister refused to rule out the possibility of the demand for a change of leadership being raised in the Janata Dal Legislature Party meeting, scheduled to be held on October 28.

Guttedar, who took the lead in arranging a grand reception for Deve Gowda at the Gulbarga railway station on October 17, said the increase in power tariffs and the difficulties faced by farmers in getting fertilisers had affected the party's popularity.

Welcoming the decision to withdraw the power tariff hike under pressure from legislators, he said Dal MLAs who raised "core issues" would meet again on October 22 and discuss other matters which had contributed to the sorry state of affairs in the party and government.

Guttedar said issues like the interference of some top officials in the day-to-day functioning of ministers and the latter functioning as "coteries" of Chief Minister Patel may be discussed.

Meanwhile, Patel has ruled out seeking a vote of confidence in the JDLP as demanded by some dissidents.

Patel told reporters in Bangalore that the legislature party is not the proper forum to prove a chief minister's majority. Majority support can only be demonstrated in the state assembly, which is being convened on November 29.

Stating that dissidence would only tarnish the party's image, Patel expressed confidence that the issue would be sorted out before the legislature session.

Asked whether he would meet Deve Gowda, Patel replied in the affirmative, saying, "We are not enemies".

Sources in the council of ministers said efforts were on to arrive at a compromise. The major issue involved is reorganisation of the party. It can be sorted out once Patel meets Deve Gowda, they said.

Meanwhile, Deve Gowda caused a flutter by calling on Governor Khurshid Alam Khan at the Raj Bhavan last night.

But sources close to the former prime minister described the meeting as a courtesy call. Deve Gowda was with the governor for about 20 minutes.

UNI

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