Veerendra Kumar demands resignation of Gowda

Kozhikode, Mar 21 (UNI) Janata Dal (Secular) parliamentary party leader M P Veerendra Kumar today demanded the resignation of party president H D Deve Gowda for 'unilaterally' recognising Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy as state legislature party leader.

''He should either quit the presidentship or face expulsion by the national executive for breach of trust,'' he told reporters here.

Mr Kumar said vice-president Bapu Kaldate, ideologue Surendra Mohan and various party state units, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, whom he contacted, expressed the same opinion.

It was politically and morally wrong on Mr Gowda's part to violate the party decision opposing formation of a coalition government in the state with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, unseating the Congress-JD (S) government headed by Mr N Dharam Singh, he said.

Saying relations with communal forces was totally unacceptable, Mr Kumar, also Kerala JD(S) chief, said the state unit had convened an emergency meeting at Thrissur on Thursday to decide further action.

All state office bearers, including working committee members, district presidents, national council members and special invitees were expected to attend the meet, he said.

UNI PCH LR KP1837