Breakaway faction claims JD(S) leadership, expels Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy over BJP alliance
A faction within the Janata Dal (Secular) has broken ties with the party’s main unit led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
A breakaway group led by former Karnataka state unit president CM Ibrahim and former national vice president CK Nanu convened its own national plenary on Monday, asserting its claim over the “real JD(S)”. The faction expelled Deve Gowda and appointed Nanu as the new party president during the parallel meeting.
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In a resolution passed during their national plenary, the breakaway faction expressed its unwillingness to align with what it called “fascist political alliances” and extended an offer to Deve Gowda to rejoin the “real JD(S)” if he breaks ties with the BJP.
The resolution stated, “We cannot stand with the opportunistic approaches carried out by some leaders of the party, including the national president H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy, by owing allegiance to our party with the fascist political alliances by compromising the secular credentials of our party.”
As a disciplinary measure, the breakaway faction officially removed Deve Gowda from the national presidency and appointed Nanu in his place.
Another resolution authorised CM Ibrahim to explore the possibility of reunification with socialist parties and Janata Parivar parties in India to strengthen the fight against communal forces.
Speaking on behalf of the breakaway group, Ibrahim claimed that 12 out of 19 JD(S) MLAs in Karnataka supported their cause, though no public endorsements have been made. The faction plans to hold a national meeting in Hubli in January, inviting leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, and Lalu Yadav.
Ibrahim asserted, “One family has left the party. We are the real JD(S). We are ready to remain with him if he withdraws his decision to ally with the BJP,” indicating a willingness to accommodate with Deve Gowda. The group also hinted at approaching the Election Commission for the party symbol.
The faction’s decision to challenge Deve Gowda’s expulsion of Ibrahim and Nanu on December 9 hinges on their subsequent expulsion of Deve Gowda himself from what they claim as the “real JD(S).”
Deve Gowda had expelled Ibrahim and Nanu, alleging that despite initially supporting the party’s decision to align with the BJP, they later opposed the alliance publicly, claiming they were not consulted.
In response, Ibrahim contended that a significant portion of the JD(S) had reservations about the BJP alliance, which were presented to Deve Gowda but were rejected by him and his son Kumaraswamy.
The faction’s resolution stated, “We affirm that the entire party machinery and the masses, who are the real strength of the party, are completely against such moves and do not intend to have any alliance with the BJP, which is branded as the most communal party in India.”
“This was conveyed to H D Deve Gowda after our party’s national executive meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on November 15, 2023 to take back the decision of having any sort of alliance with the BJP on or before December 9, 2023. But H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy are adamant on having an alliance with the BJP and have been colluding politically with BJP leaders in the state level as well as the national level,” the statement said.