Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai wrote a letter to the opposition leaders on Wednesday and is contemplating an all-party meeting soon in connection with the petition regarding the border row with Maharashtra.
Bommai had given all details of the government stand, formation of a team of advocates and action taken so far to the Opposition leader in legislative assembly Siddaramaiah and Opposition leader in legislative council B.K. Hariprasad.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bommai held a meeting with Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi ahead of the inquiry of the petition in this regard by the Supreme Court.Maharashtra government had submitted a petition in 2004 to the Supreme Court claiming its rights over Belagavi city and 865 villages in four districts of Karnataka.
Karnataka government is represented in the Supreme Court by senior counsels Mukul Rohatgi, Sham Diwan, Uday Holla and Maruthi Jirale. Bommai maintained that the Supreme Court will not consider the petition by Maharashtra government in this regard.
Founded in 1948 with the sole objective to ensure that Belagavi becomes part of Maharashtra, Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES) has been protesting the merger of Belagavi with Karnataka.Congress and BJP candidates in Karnataka won and tried to ensure that MES nominees lose in local as well as recent assembly elections.
The coalition government of BJP and JD(S) constructed 'Suvarna Soudha' at Belagavi and started holding winter assembly sessions to give a message that Belagavi will remain as an integral part of Karnataka. However, MES party workers have continued to pursue their agenda.