I’m still JD(S) Karnataka president, will move court, says suspended leader CM Ibrahim

Gowda had earlier replaced Ibrahim as the party state president on 19 October and appointed his son and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy in his place.

Related: JD(S) suspends CM Ibrahim over anti-party activities

‘Will make everything clear on 9 December’

“I’m still the state president of JD(S) even now. If he (Gowda) is national president, will be known on 9 December… where will he (Gowda) remain as national president, if National Council members and state presidents remove him?” Ibrahim asked.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “I still appeal to Deve Gowda — you are 90, don’t do it (go with BJP) — for the sake of your son. Don’t sacrifice the principles you stood by for your entire life. Even when Ramvilas Paswan and Sharad Yadav went away, you stood by your ideology, and Janata Dal Secular came into existence (after the split of Janata Dal in 1999).”

A meeting of JD(S) leaders from various states, held in Thiruvananthapuram last week, decided to organise a national plenary session of the party at Bengaluru on 9 December to formally reject the decision of Gowda to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Party national vice-president CK Nanu had said unless Gowda revokes the decision to join the NDA, the party’s plenary would go ahead with further actions against Gowda for taking a unilateral decision.

‘What madness is this?’

Responding to his suspension from the party by Gowda, Ibrahim said, “What madness is this? Is he himself in the party? Who is with him? A National Council meeting happened, 11 party state presidents had come for the meeting, and they (Gowda and others) were in a panic. Ask them to call at least a state executive meeting. They are meeting in either resorts or a home or hotel with eight to ten people.”

The meeting was called by Nanu, he said. “He (Gowda) wrote to them not to call a meeting, but the meeting was called…where they decided to give time to Gowda and others till 9 December; if they don’t change their decision (to join NDA) we will take our further step. I was also part of the meeting.”

Stating that he wasn’t served any notice or letter before suspending him from the party, Ibrahim, responding to a question, said: “Is it his (Gowda) home? Am I his servant? He can do that to Kumaraswamy or anyone else he has employed….He can’t do it to me. I’m moving to court and seeking a stay. I’m also writing to the Election Commission. I’m waiting for the December 9 meeting.”

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

Ibrahim had earlier even claimed that his faction is the original JD(S) for being “secular” and that, being the state president, he could make a decision about the outfit in Karnataka.

Also read: Dissident JD(S) leaders decide to hold plenary in Bengaluru 

The national plenary session

The 15 November meeting in Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram decided to convene a national plenary session in Bengaluru on 9 December.

While the presidents of 11 state units of the JD(S) attended the meeting in person, four participated virtually, Nanu said.

He said the plenary meeting on 9 December would formally reject Gowda’s plan to join the NDA. Gowda would also face the consequences for acting unilaterally, Nanu said. He said it was imperative to safeguard the party’s “secular” character and vision.

Asked why Kerala leaders of the party, especially its two MLAs — Mathew T Thomas and Krishnankutty — stayed away from the meeting, Nanu said it was the party’s national leadership meeting, and it turned out to be a gathering of leaders opposed to Gowda’s decision to join the NDA.

He said he preferred not to respond to leaders like Thomas and Krishnankutty boycotting the meeting.

However, Nanu stated that the Kerala unit would be requested to attend the plenary in Bengaluru, and it would have to adhere to that directive.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim stated that the party would take action against the two MLAs — Mathew T Thomas and Krishnankutty — if they failed to attend the plenary session.

(With PTI inputs)