JD(S) to offer CM Ibrahim plum position

Deve Gowda said that he has identified an auspicious day for Ibrahim's induction into the JD(S)

JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda said Tuesday that CM Ibrahim will be elevated to a rank that is equal to that of the party's state president.

Ibrahim, who quit the Congress recently, is expected to take charge of the regional party's affairs on April 17.

He will share the responsibility of leading the party alongside Sakleshpur MLA HK Kumaraswamy, a Dalit who is the current state president.

"Ibrahim is my old friend...I brought this young boy from Bhadravathi," Gowda said at the Janata Jaladhare event in Ramanagara, recollecting Ibrahim's earlier stint with the JD(S). Ibrahim was a union minister when Gowda was prime minister.

Gowda said that he has identified an auspicious day for Ibrahim's induction into the JD(S). He also said that JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy had approved Ibrahim's appointment.

Ibrahim's post, he said, will be equivalent to that of HK Kumaraswamy. "We will make [Ibrahim] the Parliamentary Board chairman. He and Kumaraswamy will lead the party like brothers," Gowda said.

On March 12, Ibrahim tendered resignation to the Congress' primary membership, a break-up that was in the works. He was miffed after the Congress picked BK Hariprasad for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. On March 31, he resigned as MLC.

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