Surendra Mohan demands Gowda's resignation as JD(S) chief

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, June 14 (UNI) Several senior Janata Dal (Secular) leaders led by Mr Surendra Mohan, a member of the party's National Executive today demanded that party president H D Deve Gowda give up his office as he had lost all credibility as a 'secular leader' even as the party said that Mr Mohan's claim was an isolated one without the backing of the members of the Executive.

Mr Mohan, in a statement released here on behalf of the leaders including Kerala JD(S) Chief M P Veerendra Kumar, MP, also demanded that the JD(S) should convene an emergency meeting in three weeks and urged the national leadership of the party to initiate the process of consolidation of all secular, democratic and socialist elements into a strong political force.

The leaders' demand comes in the wake of the JD(S) aligning with the BJP in Karnataka, the home state of Mr H D Deve Gowda. His son H D Kumaraswamy leads the JD(S)-BJP coalition.

The JD(S) on its part rubbished the demand. It said such a demand was made at the National Executive by Mr Mohan in February but was turned down as he could not get a second person to endorse it. J D (S) Secretary General Danish Ali said Mr Mohan's demand was an attempt of a frustrated leader who was badly isolated in the party.

He said Mr Mohan had convened a meeting of JD(S) leaders in Mumbai on June eight and nine and excepting Mrs Mrinal Gore and Venkatesh Kabade no other leader attended the meeting. Infact Mr Kabade opposed the resolution, Mr Ali claimed adding that Kerala MP Veerendra Kumar and six other National Executive members did not attend the Mumbai meeting.

"Mr Surendra Mohan is interested in splitting the party, but we want to unite the party", he said hinting at the efforts to link the Janata Dal pariwar under one roof. None of the 26 JD(S) State Presidents attended Mr Mohan's Mumbai meeting, he said.

He also disputed Mr Mohan's claim that his demand enjoyed the support of the members he had mentioned. Mr Gattu Babu, President of Andhra Pradesh JD(S) distanced himself from Mr Mohan's claims saying that he did not subscribe to the demand and alleged that his name was 'misused' by the senior leader (Surendra Mohan).

The leaders who have demanded Mr Gowda's resignation according to Mr Surendra Mohan included former MPs Mrinal Gore, Venkatesh Kabade, former Maharashtra ministers Shripat Rao Shinde and Nihal Ahmed and Orissa leaders Ashok Das, K C Patra, Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Shoaib Iqbal and Delhi Unit Chief Harendra Dev Goswamy.

UNI MCN RP RS1945

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