New Delhi: As part of moves for evolving a consensus among ruling coalition partners on the disinvestments issue, Defence Minister George Fernandes on September 5 met Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, a day after his meeting with Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie.

Though both Fernandes and Advani were tight-lipped, officials said that the issues relating to disinvestments figured in the meeting.

Fernandes' meeting with Advani is a sequel to his discussions with Shourie on September 4 over differences over privatisation of two oil public sector undertakings (PSUs) Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum.

Former Disinvestment Minister and BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley was also present in the meeting.

The Defence Minister, who is said to be unhappy over the moves for privatisation of oil giants BPCL and HPCL, had publicly aired his suggestion for undertaking total review of the disinvestment process.

While dismissing reports of "differences" in the Cabinet on the disinvestment issue, Fernandes had said, "Whether disinvestment is proceeding in the right direction or whether any course correction is needed," were questions, which needed to be answered.

The fresh round of meetings has apparently come at the suggestion of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, telling his senior colleagues to sit together to iron out the differences.

PTI