<p>Bengaluru: The JD(S), Karnataka's only formidable regional party, could be heading into a legal battle to determine its identity and future as a 'rebel' faction on Monday appointed C K Nanu as its national president replacing former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. </p><p>Nanu, a former minister from Kerala, was appointed as the JD(S) chief at a national plenary meeting that was held here. This came two days after the Deve Gowda-led JD(S) formally expelled Nanu and Ibrahim for "anti-party" activities at a national executive meeting. </p><p>The division is the result of the JD(S) deciding to ally with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls next year. </p><p>Addressing a news conference, Ibrahim, who still claims to be the JD(S) state president, said it was a "unanimous" decision to remove Deve Gowda from the party's top post. "We have not expelled him. He has been removed from his post. So, the decision taken by Gowda to expel us doesn't hold any value," he said. </p><p>Ibrahim claimed to have the support of five out of 19 JD(S) MLAs. "Once we get 12 more, we will reveal the names," he said. </p>.BJP, JD(S) struggling like fish out of water: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.<p>Comparing Gowda to the blind-folded Mahabharata king Dhritarashtra, Ibrahim said his camp still respects the patriarch. "Today, one family has exited from the party. We are the real JD(S). They were just a family. We are ready to remain with him if we withdraws the decision to join the BJP-led NDA," he said. </p><p>Ibrahim said his JD(S) would approach the Election Commission besides moving court over the party's iconic symbol of a farmer lady carrying paddy. "We will request the Commission to allocate the symbol to the party headed by Nanu," he said.</p><p>According to Ibrahim, Nanu now has the power to appoint presidents for the party's state units.</p><p>The Nanu camp has also decided to hold a national convention at Hubballi in January. "We will invite Akhilesh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and even Rahul Gandhi," Ibrahim said.</p><p>JD(S) leaders from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh who skipped the national executive meeting chaired by Deve Gowda last week showed up for Monday's meeting under Nanu. </p><p>Ibrahim confirmed that his JD(S) will join the I.N.D.I.A alliance. "We will also hold a meeting of all state units at Jaipur for which dates will be decided soon," he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The JD(S), Karnataka's only formidable regional party, could be heading into a legal battle to determine its identity and future as a 'rebel' faction on Monday appointed C K Nanu as its national president replacing former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. </p><p>Nanu, a former minister from Kerala, was appointed as the JD(S) chief at a national plenary meeting that was held here. This came two days after the Deve Gowda-led JD(S) formally expelled Nanu and Ibrahim for "anti-party" activities at a national executive meeting. </p><p>The division is the result of the JD(S) deciding to ally with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls next year. </p><p>Addressing a news conference, Ibrahim, who still claims to be the JD(S) state president, said it was a "unanimous" decision to remove Deve Gowda from the party's top post. "We have not expelled him. He has been removed from his post. So, the decision taken by Gowda to expel us doesn't hold any value," he said. </p><p>Ibrahim claimed to have the support of five out of 19 JD(S) MLAs. "Once we get 12 more, we will reveal the names," he said. </p>.BJP, JD(S) struggling like fish out of water: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.<p>Comparing Gowda to the blind-folded Mahabharata king Dhritarashtra, Ibrahim said his camp still respects the patriarch. "Today, one family has exited from the party. We are the real JD(S). They were just a family. We are ready to remain with him if we withdraws the decision to join the BJP-led NDA," he said. </p><p>Ibrahim said his JD(S) would approach the Election Commission besides moving court over the party's iconic symbol of a farmer lady carrying paddy. "We will request the Commission to allocate the symbol to the party headed by Nanu," he said.</p><p>According to Ibrahim, Nanu now has the power to appoint presidents for the party's state units.</p><p>The Nanu camp has also decided to hold a national convention at Hubballi in January. "We will invite Akhilesh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and even Rahul Gandhi," Ibrahim said.</p><p>JD(S) leaders from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh who skipped the national executive meeting chaired by Deve Gowda last week showed up for Monday's meeting under Nanu. </p><p>Ibrahim confirmed that his JD(S) will join the I.N.D.I.A alliance. "We will also hold a meeting of all state units at Jaipur for which dates will be decided soon," he said.</p>