Patel Willing To Hold Talks With Dissidents

In a sudden change of stand, Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel, facing dissidence from some of his partymen, has agreed to hold talks with them to know their grievances concerning the functioning of the government and the party.

Patel, who till Sunday had ruled out any parleys with the dissidents, agreed to talk to the dissidents when senior ministers persuaded him to this effect at a meeting yesterday, deputy chief minister Siddaramaih told reporters here.

The meeting was convened by Patel to discuss the issue of choosing a candidate for the election to the state unit president post, scheduled for May 10. Siddaramaiah said the ministers felt that it was not in the interest of the party to allow a section of partymen to air their views on issues concerning the party and the government at an outside forum, instead they should be invited for a dialogue by the Chief Minister.

The deputy Chief Minister said Patel had also requested him to hold talks with dissidents and added that he was also willing to talk to those, who wanted to discuss with him. Besides Siddaramaiah, transport minsiter P G R Scindha, agriculture minister C Byre Gowda, panchayatraj minister M P Prakash, industries minister R V Deshapande and revenue minister Ramesh Jigajinagi attended the meeting.

ing.and parliamentary affairs minister M C Nanaiah, one of the invitees, could not attend.

The dissidents, at a conclave held last week decided to write a letter to Patel seeking to convene an emergent meeting of the Janata Dal legislature party (JDLP) to discuss what they called the sagging image of the party and its government and the partys poor performance in the recently concluded elections to the agriculture produces marketing committees.