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Siddaramaiah suspended from membership of Janata Dal (S)

Special Correspondent

C.M. Ibrahim also suspended; H.C. Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi spared

BEFORE THE CONCLAVE: Janata Dal (Secular) national President H.D. Deve Gowda with (from left) Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash, State JD(S) President N. Thippanna, Finance Minister P.G.R. Sindhia and the former Minister Leeladevi R. Prasad before t he party's State Council meeting in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (Secular) leadership has suspended the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from the primary membership of the party.

The State Council of the party, which met here on Thursday, also placed under suspension the national Vice-President and former Union Minister, C.M. Ibrahim.

Party sources said the suspension of Mr. Siddaramaiah is only a step short of expelling him from the party and that action will be initiated depending on various political factors.

A marathon meeting of the JD(S) State Council unanimously passed a resolution authorising the national President, H.D. Deve Gowda, to suspend Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Ibrahim from the primary membership of the party. Mr. Gowda, who presided over the meeting, held a short discussion with State party President N. Thippanna and announced his decision to suspend the two leaders.

Period not stated

The suspension order does not state the period of suspension. This, apparently, is deliberate. The aim is to keep the two guessing as to whether they will be pardoned and re-admitted or expelled. The leadership refrained from taking any action against the former Ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jarkiholi and other legislators who raised the banner of revolt.

In his concluding address to the meeting, Mr. Gowda said all JD(S) leaders and activists who regret their recent actions, including attending the AHIND conventions, are welcome to return to the party. The indication is that although action has been taken against Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Ibrahim, the leadership is willing to pardon the others such as Mr. Mahadevappa and B.R. Patil, MLA. The intention could also be to divide the Siddaramaiah camp.

Mr. Gowda said although Mr. Siddaramaiah and his associates have indulged in anti-party activities, action has been initiated now because they have convened a meeting of the State Committee on September 30 knowing well that only the national President and the State President are authorised to call such meetings. "We have to draw the line somewhere," he said.

The resolution passed at the State Council meeting will be discussed by the party's national Executive Committee, which will meet in New Delhi on September 28. Although the sanction of the National Council is not required for the action initiated against the two leaders, Mr. Gowda is said to be keen on bringing the matter to the notice of its members.

Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash and Finance Minister P.G.R. Sindhia recalled the contribution of Mr. Gowda to the growth of the JD (S) and said he is a towering political leader of the State. While Mr. Siddaramaiah should be grateful to Mr. Gowda for elevating him to the position of Deputy Chief Minister, it is unfortunate that he indulged in petty politics. He also made a statement that it was he who enabled Mr. Gowda to become the Chief Minister in 1994. Such statements smack of arrogance and led to his downfall. He brought on himself his ouster from the Government, they said.

Tourism Minister D.T. Jayakumar, who has taken charge of party affairs in the Mysore region, lashed out at Mr. Siddaramaiah. "He is not a leader of the backward classes or the AHIND movement. He is an enemy of the backward classes since he has helped only the Kuruba caste at the cost of the other backward classes," he said.

Mr. Thippanna and Working President H.D. Kumaraswamy spoke.

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