JD(S) expelled Ibrahim & Nanu as party's image was taking a beating: Deve Gowda

Bengaluru: The HD Deve Gowda-led JD(S) on Saturday formally expelled rebels CM Ibrahim and the party’s national vice president CK Nanu for “anti-party” activities.

The decision was taken at the JD(S) national executive meeting attended by the party’s state presidents and core leaders.

The move comes two days before a national plenary meeting convened by Nanu, a former minister, where the rebel faction wants to act against Gowda and JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy for deciding to join the BJP-led NDA.

Gowda’s order last month expelling Ibrahim, the rebellious JD(S) state president, was formally ratified at Saturday’s meeting that had party representatives from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. Representatives from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana did not show up.

Addressing a news conference, Gowda said that the decision was taken after Nanu announced a parallel meeting, which amounted to an “anti-party” activity. “They have shown the audacity to conduct an alternative meeting when the party’s national president is alive,” Gowda, a former prime minister, said.

According to Gowda, Saturday’s meeting had only two items on the agenda: ratifying Ibrahim’s expulsion and showing Nanu the exit door. “Ibrahim was very much present during party discussions on the alliance with the BJP. Despite being involved in the meetings, he spoke against the party in public and we expelled him. That expulsion was ratified. It was unanimously decided to expel both Ibrahim and Nanu,” Gowda said.

Gowda said the party will hold an election for the national vice president’s post in six months.

Nanu’s expulsion will be communicated to the Election Commission, he said.

Nanu has scheduled a national plenary session in Bengaluru on December 11 to take stock of “the special situation and take necessary action against leaders of our party who have taken the unilateral decision to have an alliance with the BJP.”

Nanu said the meeting was convened as per Article 17 of the party’s constitution.

The Nanu-Ibrahim faction had set a December 9 deadline for Gowda to withdraw the decision of allying with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls next year.