Date:02/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/02/stories/2006070220490100.htm

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Janata Dal (S) leadership sees `crisis' in party

By S. Rajendran

Kumaraswamy and Prakash are meeting party legislators to ensure unity in JD(S)

The decision of the Congress to induct Siddaramaiah into the party is believed to have triggered the JD (S) move

The number of JD(S) legislators has been reduced to 50 from 59

BANGALORE: The top leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular), particularly Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the State unit president and Home Minister M.P. Prakash, have commenced the exercise of meeting the party legislators to ensure that the party remains united in what has been described as the "present hour of crisis".

There have been reports that attempts are likely to be made to divide the party to enable the formation of a new coalition Government bereft of the core group of the Janata Dal (S).

The steps taken by the All India Congress Committee to induct former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah into the party is believed to have triggered the move of the Janata Dal (S) leadership to keep its legislators together.

It is not that the party visualises any threat of division in its ranks, but it does not want any further depletion of its strength. For the record, the Janata Dal (S) and its coalition partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have maintained that their coalition Government will complete its tenure even if attempts are made to destabilise it.

Expulsion

The Janata Dal (S), which had 59 legislators, has 50 now with the expulsion of Chincholi MLA Vaijanath Patil and the suspension notice served on the Siddaramaiah group comprising eight legislators. While suspension does not tantamount to expulsion, it is a known fact that the Siddaramaiah group has only been technically part of the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party.

Sources in the Janata Dal (S) told The Hindu on Saturday that irrespective of the dissatisfaction of some of the legislators arising out of the Ministry expansion, it was unlikely that any such legislator would join hands with the "rebel Janata Dal (S) legislators". Legally, the legislators associated with Mr. Siddaramaiah are still part of the Janata Dal (S) until they are expelled from the party or disqualified from the membership of the Legislative Assembly.

However, the party leadership has made it clear to all legislators that it will not hesitate to seek dissolution of the Legislative Assembly if it is compelled to do so in the event of "poaching gaining momentum". The Janata Dal (S) has brought the matter pertaining to the suspension of two groups of its legislators to the notice of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Krishna and Governor T.N. Chaturvedi. Apparently acting on the advice of H.D. Deve Gowda, Janata Dal (S) president, the Chief Minister and the State unit president have been meeting the legislators individually and collectively.