JD(S) faction to hold National Executive on June 28, 29

Bangalore, June 21 (UNI) The Janata Dal (Secular) headed by Surendra Mohan will take a final decision on the Presidential polls in its National Executive meeting to be held in the city on June 28 and 29.

Disclosing this to newspersons here today, Party leader and former Karnataka Minister P G R Sindhia said besides the Presidential elections, the Executive would also discuss the SEZ policy pursued by both the UPA government at the Centre and the state governments and suicides by farmers.

The JD(S) faction led by its President Surendra Mohan broke away from H D Deve Gowda-led party after the latter allied with BJP in Karnataka in February 2006.

The leaders led by Kerala MP Veerendra Kumar were suspended from the party by Mr Gowda for opposing the alliance in Karnataka.

''Elected members of our faction will meet here and take a final decision on the Presidential elections. Apart from that, we will raise our protest against the SEZ policy and take a decision on stepping up our agitation,'' Mr Sindhia said.

Mr Sindhia said the SEZ policy should be changed by amending the labour laws and use of land.

In Karnataka, the coalition government had no idea about the SEZ concept, he alleged.

Referring to a statement by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy that the government would not acquire land but leave it to the promoters of the SEZ to convince the farmers, he said ''it is not just the question of land, but the labour interests and tax collection. In the name of SEZ, the Karnataka government is encouraging real estate Mafia.'' he charged.

Welcoming Mr Kumaraswamy's statement on creating a separate budget for agriculture, he said there was an urgent need to launch an alternative economy for agriculture to bring down the increasing number of suicide of farmers.

He said the JD(S) workers in Karnataka were disillusioned over the party forming an alliance with the BJP.

'' The BJP has proved that it was no different from any other party. Though such alliance was against our party's policy, Mr Deve Gowda was forced to accept it, which he should never have.'' UNI