New Delhi: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on September 13 asked Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to come out with a consensus proposal incorporating the views of all political parties concerned on the issue of granting statehood to the national capital.

The 1998 draft proposal for re-organisation of Delhi can be the basis of such a consensus and the Centre would react after receipt of such a proposal, Advani told Dikshit and her Cabinet colleagues, who called on him at the North Block on September 13 morning, official sources said.

The Deputy Premier appreciated the unanimous adoption of the resolution for statehood in the specially convened session of the Assembly on September 11.

During the 15-minute meeting, Dikshit demanded withdrawal of the two circulars issued by the Home Ministry, which they said "curtailed the powers of her Democratically-elected government".

Advani assured the Chief Minister that he would study and discuss the implications of the two circulars and would then get back to her in a day or two, the sources said.

Delhi ministers A K Walia, Haroon Yusuf, Raj Kumar Chauhan and Parliamentary secretary Ramakant Goswami accompanied the Chief Minister. Home Secretary Kamal Pande was also present at the talks.

Dixit is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee later.

PTI