JD (S) rebels to expel Mr Gowda from JD(S) presidentship

New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI) Suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader M P Veerendra Kumar today claimed his faction was the 'real JD (S)' and announced that the group would oust party national president H D Deve Gowda from the post in the forthcoming National Council meeting of on December 23 at Thiruvananthapuram.

Accompanied by another suspended leader and former Karnataka Minister P G R Sindhya, MLA and senior JD (S) leader Surendra Mohan, Mr Kumar told mediapersons that Mr Deve Gowda, who initially opposed the party's coalition with the BJP in Karnataka, had now become a 'spokesman' of the government and hence he had no right to call himself a 'secular' leader. ''We are the real JD (S) and have a majority in the National Executive. We will oust Mr Gowda,'' said Mr Kumar, who was removed as the leader of the five-member JD (S) Parliamentary Party and suspended from the party's primary membership.

The leaders said JD (S) general secretary Sripati Rao Shinde of Maharashtra had convened the JD (S) National Executive at Thiruvananthapuram on December 22.

Mr Veerendra Kumar, also a former Minister in the United Front Government said he expected 'moral and political integrity' from the former Prime Minister Mr Gowda and added his actions proved otherwise.

''The initial outbusts of Mr Gowda against BJP and his son were all meant to fool the public and he was very much part of the conspiracy which ousted the Congress-J D (S) coalition,'' Mr Sindhya who held the finance portfolio in the previous government, alleged.

Meanwhile J D (S) secretary general Kunwar Danish Ali ridiculed the claim of Mr Kumar's group and said the party's constitution was very clear that only the national president can convene the meeting of National Executive. The other authorised persons to convene the meeting was Secretary General, that too, on the advice of the president.

The Thiruvananthapuram meeting is 'illegal' and has not be sanctioned by the party, he said.

As far as the National Council meeting was concerned, it can only be called by the National Executive, that too giving a 15-day notice. ''They can't even muster quorum in the National Executive and their signed list is with the media,'' Mr Ali said reacting to the claim that they have the majority in the Executive. All the state units were also with Mr Deve Gowda barring the exception of Kerala, he added.

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