Rebel JD(S) group insists on Gowda's removal from party

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Senior Janata Dal(Secular) leader Surendra Mohan today joined the group demanding the expulsion of party president H D Deve Gowda from his post.

In a joint statement on the behalf of JD(S) Parliamentary Party leader M P Veerendra Kumar and former Karnataka minister P G R Sindhyia, Mr Mohan quoting Mr Gowda's comment from Mysore in which Mr Gowda had declared his expulsion as ''unconstitutional,'' said he and other dissidents are under no confusion and Mr Gowda will be removed from the presidentship by the National General Council of the party.

This is a constitutionally accepted position. ''Once he (Mr Gowda) is removed from president's post, he becomes an ordinary member and the party can deal with the indicipline", Mr Mohan added.

Reminding Mr Gowda's famous quote against the then Congress president Sitaram Kesri as an ''old man in a hurry,'' Mr Mohan said ''Being an old person myself, I can not use such a phrase, but it is obvious that Mr Gowda is no different,''he added.

Mr Mohan along with Mr Veerendra Kumar and Mr Sindhia have threatened to convene a party conclave in Kerala next month and remove Mr Gowda as the party president.

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