BANGALORE: Not all is well in the JD(S). Even as JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy are yet to come out of shock after humiliating defeat in the bypolls to Mandya and Bangalore Rural by the Congress, the party on Wednesday received further set back with its MLA Mallikarjuna Khooba offering to resign his assembly membership.
Khooba, MLA from Basavakalyan in Bidar district, gave his resignation letter to Gowda and told media later that he would soon give the letter to speaker Kagodu Thimmappa. Khooba said he was one among the contender for party chief whip post and the party has ignored his claims. When asked about his resignation, Gowda said it was minor issue and will be set right in next couple of days.
Former chief minister and opposition leader in the legislative assembly H D Kumaraswamy and former ministers and senior leaders of the party N Chaluvarayaswamy and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan failed to attend the meeting convened by Gowda on Wednesday.
The meeting was convened following resignation of Kumaraswamy to both state president and opposition leader posts after defeat in the bypolls. Around 20 leaders of the party were present.
Though Gowda defended saying Kumaraswamy was not invited, he was silent on Chaluvarayaswamy and Zameer. The former Prime minister said he has accepted the resignation of Kumaraswamy as state president and the names of probables would be discussed in legislature party meeting on Sunday. Some of the names doing rounds for the president’s post include A Krishnappa, Basannagouda Patil Yatnal, Iqbal Ansari, Bandeppa Kashampur, Basavaraj Horatti among others. As Gowda is favouring a backward caste person, Krishnappa would be made as state president. Kumaraswamy will continue as a opposition leader.
Considered a Muslim face of JD(S) and right hand man of Kumaraswamy, Zameer has been keeping low in the party by not participating in any of the events. He did not even canvassing for neither Anitha Kumaraswamy and CS Puttaraju, JD(S) candidates in the bypolls. Zameer reportedly went to Ajmer during when Gowda wanted to visit his residence to bury the hatchet.
Gowda after meeting said a core committee giving representation to all the communities would be set up at the earliest.
