I'm in JD(S) both technically and mentally; still Karnataka state president: Ibrahim
Bengaluru (PTI): Ousted Karnataka JD(S) president C M Ibrahim on Sunday asserted that he is in Janata Dal (Secular) both "technically and mentally", and still heads the party in the state, as his removal from the post was wrong.
Appealing JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda, and his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to reconsider their decision on joining hands with the BJP, he also stated that he will decide on the future course of action, including on legal fight against his removal as state president, after October 26.
Following Ibrahim's rebellion -- against the JD(S)' decision on alliance with the BJP -- that had embarrassed the party, Gowda on Thursday had dissolved the party's Karnataka unit, essentially removing the former as the state president, and had appointed Kumaraswamy as "ad-hoc president".
"Deve Gowda is a senior leader. I request him once again through you (media) with folded hands to reconsider the decision on alliance with BJP. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan (party units) are against the decision to go with the BJP," Ibrahim said.
Speaking to reporters here, he urged Gowda to stand by the ideology which the party had been following all along.
Stating that he is visiting Udaipur and will be travelling to Mumbai later this week to meet JD(S) party leaders there, Ibrahim said, "Deve Gowda knows how he was made the Prime Minister. He knows how I built Janata Dal in 1995. It is not new to him, he knows, but what to do there is pressure from Kumaraswamy on him."
Also, making a similar request to Kumaraswamy, he said, "He is like a brother... Please reconsider going with BJP, accept the ideologies of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Basavanna and Rashtra Kavi -- Puttappa (Kuvempu)."
"We have respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. We have nothing against them personally, but ideologically we are on a different path," he added.
Ibrahim, defying the party leadership, had recently declared that the JD(S) would not join the BJP-led NDA, and had even gone to the extent of describing his side of the party as the "original JD(S)".
The JD(S) last month had decided to ally with the BJP following a meeting of its leader Kumaraswamy with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda in New Delhi.
Claiming that many JD(S) district presidents and MLAs are in contact with him, Ibrahim said, he has still not called them for a meeting, as the situation has not vitiated yet, and his intention is to not to vitiate.
"I have told them to remain wherever they are and let's talk when the time comes...Parliament elections are still in March-April," he said.
Stating that he is still technically and mentally in JD(S), Ibrahim said that he is still the party's state president.
"I can't be removed, they (Gowda and Kumaraswamy) know it. They can't dissolve the party state unit, they know it. What they have done is wrong, but I still hope that he will rectify things, and go according to our ideology," he said.
Pointing out that he was brought to the party, making him resign as Congress MLC, Ibrahim asked, "After that, if Gowda and Kumaraswamy decide to go with the BJP, won't it pain me? But still, swallowing that pain, I'm requesting them to reconsider."
The party state unit cannot be dissolved, he said, and asked, "Is it like breaking an egg and making an omelette?"
"It is an elected body of a party registered with the Election Commission. We have to run the party in accordance with rules and not as per one's wish. As state president, I constituted the core committee and appointed office-bearers."
Further noting that the party state president has the power to take decisions concerning the state in JD(S), he said, "If the party state president goes against the party constitution, notice has to be given by two-thirds of members. A meeting has to be called and a no confidence motion has to be brought to remove him or her."
About the legal fight, he had warned, and his next course of action, Ibrahim said wait, pointing at meetings of party units in Kerala and Patna.
"Let's see after October 26. I will see till Vijayadashami, if they make any decision. I have trust in Deve Gowda, but Kumaraswamy has to decide. I don't trust him."
Asked whether he has got any phone calls from Congress, especially from his old friend and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Ibrahim said, "I'm getting calls from everywhere, let's see....but, neither Siddaramaiah has called me, nor I have called him."
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
