The Hindu : National : A meeting shrouded in secrecy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006

National

National

A meeting shrouded in secrecy

A. Jayaram and S. Rajendran

Kumaraswamy terms it a `courtesy call'

MOVING ON: H.D. Kumaraswamy, leader of the JD(S) group at the Hubli airport, on his way to Bangalore, on Monday. — PHOTO: PTI

BANGALORE: In meeting H.D. Deve Gowda here on Monday, H.D. Kumaraswamy gave up his stand that he would not meet his father until January 27.

The meeting was described as a "courtesy call" by Janata Dal (S) leaders, after members of the Deve Gowda family conveyed to Mr. Kumaraswamy on Sunday night news that Mr. Deve Gowda had had a setback in his health.

Mr. Kumaraswamy has been camping in Goa over the past few days along with most of the party legislators of his group in order to prevent what has been described as horse-trading.

Secrecy shrouded Mr. Kumaraswamy's visit. The venue of the meeting, which took place at the home of a relative at Padmanabhanagar here, had not been made known. It was being stated earlier in the day that Mr. Kumaraswamy was heading for Hyderabad.

Mr. Deve Gowda has been upset over the manner in which a section of the Congress in the State has attempted to divide the JD(S) in the recent past. He added: "It started with an attempt to woo certain JD(S) leaders, then promoting the AHINDA and even forging an understanding with the ousted JD(S) leaders... The party has been humiliated all along by none other than the coalition partner. I will bring all the unsavoury incidents and the role of the Congressmen to the notice of the AICC president. Let us then decide".

Mr. Kumaraswamy was accompanied by Ministers N. Cheluvarayaswamy and Amare Gouda Bayyapur. The BJP in the State meanwhile seemed confident that Mr. Kumaraswamy would stick to his original stand and go with it to form a new government in the State, and not cause it embarrassment. The BJP MLAs are now in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, B.S.Yediyurappa, who is considered the architect of the understanding, said: "The boy and girl are ready for marriage. If the parents do not agree, the marriage will still be gone through."

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