Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday hit back at state president CM Ibrahim for his rebellious remarks on the party leadership’s decision to join hands with the BJP and dared him to “put up a board that his party is original”.
Ibrahim on Monday addressed a meeting of some party leaders and said that there was no question of him quitting the party as he was the "real JD(S)".
"If his (Ibrahim's) party is original then let him put up a board that he is the original one. Who has stopped him? Let him do whatever he wants. He is free to do it. It is left to him," Kumaraswamy said.
The former CM seemed outraged to even speak on the matter and indicated that he does not take Ibrahim’s remarks seriously.
“Why should I take his (Ibrahim's) statements seriously? Please don’t discuss silly things with me. This is not a matter to be answered. Our party leaders will take a decision. We will set right whatever is needed,” he said.
What had Ibrahim said?
Ibrahim, a former Union Civil Aviation Minister, on Monday said that he would soon convene a meeting of the “core committee” which would meet Gowda to announce its decision that the JD(S) should not forge an alliance with the BJP.
JD(S) MLA GT Deve Gowda said that Ibrahim had submitted his resignation to HD Deve Gowda soon after the party put up a poor show in the Assembly elections in May this year bagging only 19 seats in the 224-member
House, however, the party’s national president asked him to continue.
GT Deve Gowda claimed that Ibrahim was present in a meeting where it was unanimously decided to join hands with the BJP and become part of the NDA.
Former BJP minister R Ashoka took a swipe at Ibrahim and said that the executive committee is with Deve Gowda.
"The entire world knows what JD(S) is. JD(S) means Deve Gowda and vice-versa. Did a single MLA or MP attend C M Ibrahim’s meeting? There is an executive committee in the party, which has all the powers. The executive committee is with Deve Gowda," Ashoka , a former Deputy Chief Minister, said.
(With PTI inputs)
