The Hindu : Karnataka News : JD (S) decision likely tomorrow

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Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

JD (S) decision likely tomorrow

S. Rajendran

Kumaraswamy likely to meet senior leaders
Meeting may authorise Deve Gowda to take a decision

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (Secular) leadership is expected to take a final call on Wednesday on whether it will ally with the Congress or gear up for the Legislative Assembly elections.

Sources in the Janata Dal (S) told The Hindu here on Monday that contrary to the speculation doing the rounds, the party leadership was not keen on any kind of fresh political understanding.

It is for the other secular political parties like the Congress to seek an association with the Janata Dal (S).

“It is obvious that the division within the Congress has come in the way of an understanding. It is for that party to sort out the matter if it is keen on a consolidation of secular forces,” said the sources.

The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who has been continuing with his “grama vasthavya” (village stay) programme, will on Wednesday hold a consultation with the Janata Dal (S) State unit president Merajuddin Patel, party’s Parliamentary Board chairman D. Manjunath and the former Minister M.P. Prakash.

After the meeting, the senior leaders will authorise the former Prime Minister and party president H.D. Deve Gowda to take a final decision and this will be announced.

Mr. Patel told The Hindu that the views expressed by the party legislators at the two-day legislature party meeting held at a private resort on October 15 and 16 would be discussed in detail.

Most legislators were against an early election and want the party leadership to forge an understanding with a political party.

Fresh mandate

With the party leadership opposed to any understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the only choice now left is to either go with the Congress or to seek a fresh mandate.

Mr. Deve Gowda made a brief visit to New Delhi on Thursday which was described by party sources as a “private visit”.

Interestingly, a section of the Congress MLAs have submitted a memorandum to the party president Sonia Gandhi requesting her to refrain from any kind of understanding with the Janata Dal (S).

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