JD(S) Kerala leadership meet on Oct 27; leaders likely to quit national committee

Ernakulam: JD(S) Kerala unit is preparing to announce its split from the faction led by Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy nearly a month after the national leaders' decision to join hands with BJP-led NDA. JD(S) Kerala leader Jose Thettayil declared that he will resign from the national committee as the national leadership has violated the principles by joining NDA.

Sources close to the party hinted that the Kerala unit will take a decision on ending its links with Gowda in its meeting on October 27 in Kochi. It is learnt that the Kerala leaders took the stance after Deve Gowda alleged that CPM in Kerala and Pinarayi Vijayan had approved his decision to join NDA.

JD(S)) is a major ally of CPM-led LDF in Kerala. Hence, the party is very conscious about taking a stance in favour of CPM leaders who are upset with Gowda. The party has summoned a meeting on October 27 to discuss its future programmes including ending all ties with the national leadership.

Meanwhile, Jose Thettayil claimed that Gowda and Kumaraswamy had taken the decision to join NDA without consulting any of the committees in the party. 

“The national committee, national plenary session and national executive committee have not approved the decision yet. We are not supporting this decision. We have decided to end all ties with Gowda," he added.

At the same time, Thettayil added that the opposition's criticism never influenced the Kerala unit to take this decision. He also declared that the party is not facing any pressure from the LDF to prove its stance.