JD(S) Kerala unit breaks away to form new party after H D Kumaraswamy's entry in Modi 3.0 government

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) on Tuesday decided to form a new party in the state to formally keep off from the JD(S) official party led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda at the national level.

However, the two MLAs of the party in Kerala, including a minister, will not take membership in the new party to avoid disqualification.

Ever since the JD(S) national leadership decided to join the NDA, the Kerala unit, which is a coalition partner in the CPM-led Left Democratic Front, was under pressure to sever ties with the party. With the induction of JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy as minister in the third Narendra Modi-led NDA government, pressure mounted on the Kerala unit of JD(S).

A meeting of the party Kerala leadership on Tuesday decided to form a new party. In order to ensure that the two MLAs of the party in Kerala, including a minister, do not face disqualification from the JD(S) they will not take up any official position in the new party and will remain technically as part of JD(S).

There are concerns within the Left-front that such a stand could also give adequate space for the opposition parties to criticise.

Power Minister K Krishnan Kutty and party state president and former minister Mathew T Thomas are the two MLAs of JD(S) in Kerala now.