Prakash firm on distancing from Janata Dal (S)

Bangalore, Nov 29 (UNI) Rebel Janata Dal (Secular) senior leader M P Prakash today asserted that there was no going back on the decision of ''likeminded'' leaders to chalkout their own future as he did not visualise any change in the style of functioning of former Prime Minister and party National President H D Gowda.

Talking to newsmen, Mr Prakash described today's meeting convened by Mr Gowda as a 'public meeting' and not an Executive Committee meeting of the party.

There were no specific agenda to the meeting. Mr Gowda could have convened a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee to discuss the latest political developments threadbare, but he chose to call a public meeting and made the party, a laughing stock among the people.

He said the leaders, around 20 former legislators, who met yesterday, would meet again in a few days to decide the next course of action.

''We are not so powerful to take a unilateral decision swiftly, we have to hold consultations and discuss. A consensus need to be evolved on the future course of action,'' he added.

Stating that he was in no way belittling the contribution of Mr Gowda or former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to the party, Mr Prakash, however, lamented that not enough was done during the last 20 months to build the party.

He regretted that those leaders, including party State Chief Mirajuddin Patel and senior leader D Manjunath, who had expressed displeasure over the manner in which Mr Gowda had handled the political issues had assured him that they would take up the issue during the meeting.

On the contrary, ''as I had heard from some people, they chose to attack me,'' he said.

UNI