Bengaluru: In a sign that he could well jump ship and join the BJP, state JD (S) president A H Vishwanath stepped down from the post, paying no heed to pleas of patriarch H D Deve Gowda and party legislators to reconsider his decision, on Tuesday.
Sources in the party said Mr Vishwanath was miffed at being sidelined in recent days, in particular during selection of candidates for urban local bodies (ULBs), resulting in loss of power in his home town K R Nagar, and is contemplating migration to the BJP, as such a move would bolster the career of his son, Poorvaj.
Mr Vishwanath, however, denied that he would join the BJP.
The former minister told the media "My resignation will help bring in a new face to build the party across the state" while admitting his failure to popularize the party's principles and ideology among the youth through social media.
Blaming former chief minister Siddaramaiah for not drawing up the common minimum programme, he said "no effort has been made to create a conducive atmosphere for the smooth functioning of the coalition government.
This committee has become a mere puppet in Mr Siddaramaiah's hands.” “Besides, the Congress lured Mr Deve Gowda into a trap in Tumakuru constituency and ensured his defeat and also refused to part with Mysuru-Kodagu constituency as part of the seat-sharing pact,” he added.
