C.M. Ibrahim calls on GTD, claims 10 to 13 more JD(S) MLAs disappointed with party leadership

Former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim met senior JD(S) leader G.T. Deve Gowda in Mysuru on Monday while claiming that there were 10 to 13 more party MLAs, who were disappointed with the party leadership.

Calling on Mr. Gowda a day after he lashed out at Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy for allegedly ill-treating him, Mr. Ibrahim said Mr. Gowda was not the only leader upset with the party leadership and added that about 10 to 12 more party MLAs, besides several State and district level leaders, were also disappointed.

Mr. Ibrahim, who had been ousted as the president of JD(S) State unit after he opposed the party’s alliance with the BJP last year, claimed he was still the party’s State president and was in touch with several party MLAs.

He said Mr. Gowda, who is also the chief of the party’s core committee, is upset with the unilateral decisions taken by Mr. Kumaraswamy in the party.

Third force

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Mr. Ibrahim said there was a need for a third force in the State in view of the the opposition to JD(S) aligning with the BJP.

Though he enjoyed a good relationship with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Ibrahim sought to clarify that it does not mean he was joining the Congress.

He called upon Mr. Kumaraswamy to bring the party back to the ideology of B.R. Ambedkar, Basavanna, Kuvempu and Kempe Gowda.

Stating that neither he nor Mr. Gowda had said they were quitting the JD(S), Mr. Ibrahim said he would discuss the matter relating to strengthening the third force in the State with the JD(S) MLAs, who were in touch with him.

He said farmers’ leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Narayan Gowda, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and litterateurs were all in favour of forming a third force in the State. He will discuss with others whether the third force will be the JD(S) or in some other form, he added.

Muslim vote

Mr. Ibrahim took exception to the JD(S) leadership for making Nikhil Kumaraswamy attribute his loss in the Channapatna bypolls entirely at the doorstep of one community – Muslims.

“Even if 20,000 Muslims had voted for Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar, who accounted for the remaining 85,000 votes? Weren’t Vokkaligas among Mr. Yogeshwar’s voters? Are you ashamed of admitting that Vokkaligas did not vote for you?” he asked.

“When Vokkaligas did not vote for you, why are you blaming other castes?” Mr. Ibrahim said.

Coming down heavily on the BJP for its efforts to whip up communal sentiments, Mr. Ibrahim said the saffron party does not have any “subject matter” and was moving from Hijab and MUDA to Wakf.

Instead, the BJP MPs should demand allocation of funds from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Upper Krishna Project and permission for Mahadayi project in the State. The BJP MPs should also question why Karnataka is given only ₹50,000 crore as its share of central taxes when it contributes more than ₹4.5 lakh crore, he said.

Published - November 25, 2024 08:59 pm IST