Rebel JD(S) faction declares Nanu as national president, to back INDIA bloc

Bengaluru: Expelled JD(S) national vice president C K Nanu on Monday was declared as the new national president of the party, replacing former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, by the rebel faction being propped up by leaders like C M Ibrahim. At a "national plenary meeting" convened by Nanu, a former Kerala minister, here, the rebel faction, along with "acting" against Gowda for deciding to join the BJP-led NDA, declared itself to be the "actual JD(S)", while announcing support to INDIA bloc.

They have also decided on moving to the Election Commission in this regard, and take necessary legal steps to stake their claim over the party.

The Gowda-led JD(S) on Saturday expelled rebels Ibrahim and Nanu for “anti-party” activities.

"For two seats (in Lok Sabha), for the interest of your children, at the age of 92-years you (Gowda) sacrificed the ideology...." Ibrahim, a former Union Minister who was earlier the JD(S) state President, said after the meeting.

"We gave him (Gowda) three opportunity -- on October 16 we held a meeting here, on November 9, we held a meeting in Kerala and requested to change the decision (of going with BJP), you (Gowda) didn't change, finally today on December 11 at a plenary meeting in Bengaluru, we have removed him from President post and have elected C K Nanu as the new national president. We have given him the powers to constitute all state committees," he said.

Gowda, as the national president, took a decision against the "secular ideology" of the party, Ibrahim alleged, adding that "Our party constitution itself states there should not be any ties with any communal party, if such ties are there, such a person cannot be JD(S) member. As Deve Gowda has gone against the ideology, the plenary session today has removed him and replaced with a new president." Ibrahim was on November 17 suspended from the party for alleged anti-party activities. Gowda earlier had replaced Ibrahim as the party state president on October 19 and appointed his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in his place.

Ibrahim claimed that the plenary session was attended by leaders from various States and discussions were held on party matters. "In Karnataka, myself, and like minded leaders like Nadagouda, Mahima Patel and five MLAs were present, without me calling them five MLAs had come, I don't want to reveal their names now." "I will wait for that number of MLAs to become 12, once we have 12 MLAs on our side, the MLAs will elect their new leader in Vidhana Sabha (replacing Kumaraswamy), and we will do it," he said.

Ibrahim had raised a banner of revolt against the JD(S) leadership, following its decision to join the NDA.

Announcing support to INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha polls, Ibrahim said, after discussion with JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav, SP's Akhilesh Yadav and Congress' Rahul Gandhi, a decision will be taken over the constituencies from where his party would contest the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

Comparing Gowda to 'Dhritarashtra', a character in epic Mahabharata, he said, one family (Gowda family) has gone outside the JD(S), rest JD(S) members are still in JD(S). We are the actual JD(S), not an alternative....we will go to the election commission and even to the court."