JD(S) splits, rival faction propose Surendra Mohan as chief

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22 (UNI) The Janata Dal (Secular) today suffered a virtual split with the National Executive meeting called by a faction removing Former Prime Minister H D Deva Gowda as the president of the party and proposing veteran socialist Surendra Mohan in his place.

Briefing newspersons after the meeting of the National Executive, Mr Mohan and Mr M P Veerendrakumar, MP said Mr Gowda had also been suspended from the party for six years for taking a 'pro-communal' stand.

It was also decided to dissolve the Karnataka State unit of the JD(S).

Mr Veerendrakumar claimed 28 of the total 49 executive members attended the meeting in which Mr Mohan's name was proposed unanimously for the post of national president and it would be ratified at the National Council to be held tomorrow.

Of the executive members who could not attend today's meeting, three of them had given the letters of support and another three were on the way to attend the National Council meeting.

Referring to the suspension of their leaders and the dissolution of the party's Kerala unit headed by Mr Veerendrakumar, Mr Surendra Mohan said Mr Gowda had deviated from the party's professed policy of ''secularism'' and all his recent actions ''in vendetta were illegal and unconstitutional.'' Claiming the faction headed by them was the real JD(S), he said they would stick to the party's basic principle of secularism.

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