Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday began consultations with leaders of the opposition parties in the state to decide the next course of action to secure the release of Kannada actor Rajkumar and two others held hostage by forest brigand Veerappan for over nine weeks. Mr Krishna, along with state Home Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, met the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United) to ascertain their views.
Initially, it was announced that the chief minister would hold an all-party meeting, but later he decided to hold separate discussions. The chief minister had held four all-party meetings ever since the megastar was abducted from his farm house in Doddagajanur on July 30. However, this is the first consultation with the Opposition leaders after assistant director Nagappa, one of hostages, escaped from Veerappan's custody and emissary R R Gopal returned abruptly after his fourth mission to secure the release of the hostages proved abortive. Bureau Report