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Janata Dal (S) leaves it to Deve Gowda

Deve Gowda

BANGALORE: Irrespective of finalising its stand to vote against the confidence vote to be tabled by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Lok Sabha on Monday, the Janata Dal (Secular) has refrained from announcing its decision in the light of what has been described as pressure being exerted on it by a section of the Congress leadership.

Sources in the JD(S) told The Hindu that the former Prime Minister and national president of the party, H.D. Deve Gowda, will announce the party’s decision in New Delhi as authorised by the other party leaders. The JD (S) has preferred to avoid announcing the decision due to the rapid political developments in certain States in connection with the confidence vote.

The JD(S) is now working to consolidate the party in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Apart from Mr. Gowda and his son and the former Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, the other party leaders present at the high-level meeting included the parliamentary board chairman D. Manjunath, State unit president N. Merajuddin Patel, working president C. Narayanaswamy, secretary-general P.C. Siddanagoudar, Chamarajanagar MP Shivanna and the former Ministers, M.C. Nanaiah, Iqbal Ansari and Basavaraj Horatti.

Asked on the stand of Mr. Veerendra Kumar, Mr. Gowda told The Hindu: “I am in touch with him. He was away from the party after Mr. Kumaraswamy formed a coalition government in alliance with the BJP. However, having realised my commitment to secularism and the consistent stand to maintain an equidistance from the Congress and the BJP , Mr. Veerendra Kumar has returned to the mainfold of the party. We will now work at consolidating the JD(S).”

Mr. Kumar is expected to be made the leader of the JD(S) parliamentary party, a position which he enjoyed earlier too.

The former Prime Minister had, until a few days ago, been talking to the Congress and even extended support to that party in the Rajya Sabha election. But the discussion aimed at a long-term understanding between the two parties thereafter took a backseat.

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