K'taka: Inclusion of Oppn in the Committees

Bangalore, May 7: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal(Secular) Supremo H D Deve Gowda has urged the coalition government in Karnataka to include opposition party members in District and Taluk level Committees.

''It is "Rajadharma' to include opposition members in such Committees'', Mr Gowda said in a letter addressed to the Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, a copy of which was released to the press here today. He said during his recent tour of Districts and Taluks he had received several complaints about nomination of single party candidates to the Committees.

Mr Gowda observed that " The fault may be on the part of coalition partners in the state BJP or JD(S), but as per 'Rajadharma', power should be equally distributed and moreover when we have faith in democracy we should not ignore to give proper representation to the opposition party." Congratulalting Mr Yediyurappa for his reported intention to reorganise District and Taluk level committees including Ashraya, Aradhana, DCC Bank, PLD Bank, APMC, consumer form etc., Mr Gowda suggested that whereever there is BJP legislators representating the constitutency there should three BJP representatives and one JD(S) in a Committee, similar formula should be adopted where there are JD(S) legislators that is three JD(S) and one BJP and in Congress representated constitutencies out of four members in a committee there should be two JD(S), one BJP and one Congress.

Commenting on the letter Mr Yediyurappa said he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is the final authority to take decisions on such issues.

UNI