The Hindu : Gowda denies responsibility for JD split

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 11, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Gowda denies responsibility for JD split

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA Feb. 10. The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, who is also the national President of the Janata Dal (S), said here today that if any party had split on the basis of political ideology, it was the Janata Dal. But he denied that he and the President of the party's State unit, Siddaramaiah, were responsible for the split.

Addressing party workers, he referred to the allegation by the two JD(S) leaders who resigned from the party recently and said those who had moved the resolution for maintaining the party's separate identity had now walked away from it.

"I am not bothered about who resigns from the party. But what I want is that the party workers should not be carried away by the false propaganda that I am responsible for the split in the party. Let there be no confusion about it among them," he said.

Explaining the circumstances that led to the split in the party, he said the Executive Committee of the united Janata Dal at its meeting in July 1999 decided that the party, which was in power then, should continue to fight the BJP. But, surprisingly, a group which was party to the resolution walked away within 24 hours stating that it wanted to align itself with the BJP. The national Executive Committee of the Janata Dal, which met in Delhi the next day, decided to continue to fight the BJP. But a group led by Sharad Yadav announced that it was inevitable for it to align itself with the BJP, he said.

Referring to the circumstances that forced him to distance himself from the All-India Janata Dal (AIJD) formed on the basis of the "Bommai formula", he said the State JD(S) Executive Committee, at its meeting on December 12, 2002, decided that the party should maintain its separate identity. He did not attend that meeting because it was his intention that his presence at the meeting should not influence the party workers in taking a decision in the matter.

Mr. Gowda questioned the propriety of S.R. Bommai, who had been asked to come up with a formula for the merger of the Janata Dal factions, becoming the national President of the AIJD.

Denying the allegation that he was responsible for making Mr. Siddaramaiah President of the JD(S) State unit, Mr. Gowda said it was the decision of the party and not that of an individual. "But I firmly supported Mr. Siddaramaiah, resisting pressure from within the party to dislodge him."

Mr. Gowda said that when the then Chief Minister, late J.H. Patel, hinted that he would resign on health grounds, he suggested that Mr. Siddaramaiah should be his successor since he was the Deputy Chief Minister.

Making it clear that he did not have any special liking for Mr. Siddaramaiah, he said he had realised that no party would win elections without the support of the minorities, Scheduled Castes, Tribes, and backward classes.

He hailed Mr. Siddaramaiah as a "symbol" of the backward classes.

He asked the party workers not to be worried about the merger, which was a closed chapter.

He said he had asked the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to keep aside the Hindutva issue and find time to solve the farmers' problems.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Steep hike likely in Karnataka college fees

Gowda denies responsibility for JD split

Steps sought against school donations

'Cong. has tough job on hand in Humnabad bypoll'

'EU working to end terrorism in India'

Probe looking into charges against Inspector: Commissioner

BC panel for extension of scheme to develop dhobi ghats

Tourism policy to be announced today