Date:02/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/02/stories/2005100206070400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

More leaders suspended from Janata Dal (S)

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The President of the Janata Dal (Secular) State unit, N. Thippanna has suspended from the party the former Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and H.C. Mahadevappa and H.Y Meti, K. Venkatesh, Manchanahalli Mahadev, M.K. Somashekar and B.R. Patil, MLAs, for participating in a meeting called by a faction headed by the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bangalore on Friday.

In a letter to the party's national President, H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr. Thippanna said the former Ministers and the MLAs violated party discipline. The JD(S) has already suspended Mr. Siddaramaiah and the former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim from the party.

Mr. Thippanna has also written to the party's Central Disciplinary Committee seeking action against Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Ibrahim for "misusing" the party's name and symbol.

In a statement here on Saturday, Y.S.V Datta, JD(S) General Secretary and spokesman, said that even after their suspension, the two leaders are continuing to use the party's name, which amounts to anti-party activity. The party has suspended national Executive Committee member Dayananda Rao for taking part in the meeting organised by Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Ibrahim on Friday, he said.