Karnataka: JD(S) leaders slam media for failed pact but divide shows

BENGALURU: Red-faced JD (S) leaders—patriarch H D Deve Gowda and his son and state unit chief H D Kumaraswamy—slammed the media for depiction of differences within the party over an abortive attempt to forge an alliance with the ruling Congress for forthcoming polls to the Legislative Council, but dissent was evident as former minister Zameer Ahamed Khan declined to share space with these leaders at a meeting of the legislature party, on Wednesday.

Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan, who met Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh to discuss about a seat-sharing arrangement for polls to the upper House, and earlier played a pivotal role in both parties joining hands to grab the posts of Mayor and deputy Mayor of BBMP, threatened to walk out of the meeting when some of his colleagues tried to coax him to sit beside Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Gowda. He sat with other legislators throughout the meeting.

In a voice choked with emotion, Mr Zameer Ahamed said he was ready to slit his throat for the party. “Time and again, however, I am suffering. Mr Gowda knows my commitment and I have not done anything for my benefit. Why should we drag on in this manner? Let us finish it off now itself. Just tell me what is on your mind,” he asked the leaders.

Earlier, Mr N Cheluvarayaswamy, another former minister, Mr Zameer Ahamed and Mr Balakrishna, spoke about the controversy, saying they always had the interest of the party in mind while taking the lead to negotiate for an alliance with Congress for polls scheduled on December 27.

While Mr Kumaraswamy denied describing any of his party members as “Congress agents” during his interaction with the media, Mr Gowda admitted to a minor communication gap between the state unit president and other leaders over the proposed alliance with Congress but charged that the media had blown minor differences out of proportion.

“If the media starts trailing us like this, it will be difficult. We all know what Mr Kumaraswamy spoke, and what I spoke to Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan over the alliance. The media blew it up, leading to some outbursts in public by leaders,'' Mr Gowda said, hinting that he had indeed directed Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan to hold discussions with Congress leaders. “Our party believes in internal democracy and we have decided to sort out the differences in the party forum. Every one has spoken out their mind, so all differences have been ironed out,” Mr Gowda added.

Mr Gowda said some legislators had suggested setting up of a disciplinary committee in order to restrict leaders from discussing party affairs in public. “A decision in this regard will be taken at the national executive on Wednesday. A national level and another state level disciplinary committee will be formed,” he added.

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