Deve Gowda suspends P G R Sindhya from JD(S)

New Delhi, Dec 8 (UNI) Close on the heels of a narrow defeat in the bypoll at Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysore, the Janata Dal (Secular) today suspended its senior leader and former Karnataka minister P G R Sindhya, MLA, from the primary membership of the party for antiparty activities.

The suspension was done by JD(S) President and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on the report of Karnataka unit JD(S) President and Home Minister M P Prakash after examining the available material on record. Mr Sindhya not just issued statements against the JD(S) leadership but also openly campaigned in support of Congress candidate Siddaramaiah in the bypolls, JD(S) Secretary General Kunwar Danish Ali said in a statement.

He said the material on record constituted 'gross indiscipline' and needed to be tackled 'firmly'. The suspension was done by Mr Gowda after consultation with senior party leader under article 21 (3a) of the rules of Janata Dal Constitution.

Mr Sindhya, a close confidant of Mr Gowda turned bete noir, represents Kanakapura Assembly constituency and had refrained from joining the JD(S) Ministry headed by Mr H D Kumaraswamy in February.

He has held several important portfolios including Home, Labour, Health and Finance in the Janata Party government of Rama Krishna Hegde and S R Bommai governments and Janata Dal Ministries headed by Mr J H Patel. He handled Industries and Finance portfolios in the Congress-JD(S) coalition.

Mr Sindhya had also openly associated with the dissident faction led by party leader M P Veerendra Kumar, the Parliamentary Party leader from Kerala who has threatened to expel Mr Gowda from the Presidentship and party in the forthcoming convention.

About six to seven MLAs supporting Mr Siddaramaiah too have been suspended from the party in the past besidesthe lone expulsion of an MLA and former minister Vaijnath Patil.

UNI MCN PK KP1824