The Hindu : Talk of new party premature: Siddaramaiah

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 09, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Talk of new party premature: Siddaramaiah

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE DEC. 8. The JD(S) today took exception to statements by prominent JD(U) leaders which gave an impression that the process for merging the parties had been completed. It said that JD(U) leaders had made the statements without waiting for an announcement of a merger formula, which S.R. Bommai had been authorised to evolve.

The President of the State unit of the JD(S), S. Siddaramaiah, said here today that Mr. Bommai was scheduled to announce the formula on December 11. However, the JD(U) had already held several discussions on "the formula" without inviting the JD(S), he added.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the JD(U) leaders had discussed the name of the new party, symbol, flag, and constitution, as if the parties had already been merged. They had ignored the JD(S) and given an impression that the party was not keen on the merger. The statements had caused confusion among the JD(S) workers, he added. Mr. Siddaramaiah criticised the statements of JD(U) leaders that the merger process would be carried forward even if any leader or group did not cooperate. He said the statements made one suspect that an attempt was being made to foist the JD(U) decision on the JD(S). An impression was being given that he (Mr. Siddaramaiah) was "confused''. He did not know how they knew his mind, as he had never been called for a discussion to ascertain his stand, Mr. Siddaramaiah added.

He said his party had always been in favour of a "total and complete merger", which was what the people and the party workers wanted, to provide a viable alternative to the Congress and the BJP. He criticised the attitude of some persons who said that the merger process would progress whether some leaders of the JD(S) cooperated or not. Their attitude betrayed their political immaturity, and defeated the main objective of the merger of the JD(S) and the JD(U), he added.

Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that "a few chosen" JD(S) leaders (including B.R. Patil, who was present at the press conference) had received telegrams inviting them to the "inauguration of the new party'' on December 11, since he and the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, were not joining it. He said this was done with a mala fide intention to break the JD(U). The merger should be completed not through offers of inducement or coercion, but by total agreement, he added.

Responding to criticism that he had not spoken about the merger, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had nothing to say because the merger formula was not ready. Moreover, the formula had to be discussed threadbare by the party executive, a meeting of which he had convened on December 12 to take a decision.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who was accompanied by the senior leader, C.M. Ibrahim, said he did not expect the JD(S) leaders, who had been invited to the "inaugural function" to attend it. If any decision was thrust on the JD(S) on the occasion, it would not signify the merger of the JD(S) and the JD(U). The organisers would only be giving a new name to their party, he remarked.

He said many JD(U) leaders had spoken to him and expressed opposition to any merger plan that failed to accommodate all leaders.

Despite the developments, he was not pessimistic about the prospects of the merger, which was necessary to provide a viable alternative. He, however, made it clear that the formula should be acceptable to both the JD(S) and the JD(U).

Replying to a question, Mr. Siddaramaiah said when he or his leader met Mr. Bommai, no condition for the merger had been placed.

Asked about a statement issued by a JD(S) leader that he (Mr. Siddaramaiah) should be made the State unit president of the new party as well as the chief-minister-nominee, he said it was that leader's personal view. He had made it clear that in a democracy, legislators elected their leader, he added.

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