BANGALORE, Dec 28: Union Human Resources Development Minister and senior Janata Dal leader, S R Bommai, today said his party would face the coming elections to Lok Sabha unitedly and expressed the hope of resolving differences among some of its leaders. Bommai was earlier closeted with Karnataka Chief Minister, J H Patel, and union textiles minister, R L Jalappa, at his residence here, and the meeting is believed to have discussed the present political situation.The meeting assumes significance in the light of a bitter feud between former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Jalappa, who only yesterday accused Gowda, also chairman of the united front steering committee, of trying to ``liquidate'' the party.
Significantly however, despite the assertions by Patel and Bommai that the Dal leaders would go to the people unitedly, Jalappa made no comment on the issue.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Bommai and Patel underplayed the differences between Gowda and Jalappa. Patel said he would talk to
Gowda, who is in the city. Jalappa had yesterday hit out at Gowda for the latter's reported challenge to him to leave the party and fight on his own, saying ``this is a sign of his (Gowda's) frustration''.
Responding Gowda's reported statement that he (Jalappa) was free to leave the party, Jalappa, a backward class leader from Karnataka, had said: ``I need not take any advice from Gowda to remain in the party or to leave it. I am at liberty to do whatever I like''.
Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
