K'taka: Merajuddin Patel to head state unit of JD-S)

Bangalore, Sept 2: Janata Dal(S) National President and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda today announced Mr Merajuddin Patel as the new president of the state unit of the party.

Addressing a minority conference here today, he said the appointment of Mr Patel was following a request from Home Minister M P Prakash to relieve him from the party's President's post of the state unit as he was finding it difficult to take part in party programmes. Mr Patel would take charge tomorrow afternoon in the city, he said.

He said that in the next two days as part of his strategy to revamp the party he plans to make new appointments to the state level office bearers posts including women's wing, minority and backward class wings.

The state government plans for issuing of much awaited possession certificates to hutment dwellers living in five km radius of the areas of the Municipal Corporations and Municipalities, he said adding that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would make an official announcement in this context today itself.

UNI