Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 3: JDS supremo, H D Deve Gowda, had called for a meeting of JDS functionaries in a hotel in the city on Wednesday December 2 in an effort to douse dissidence in the party. JDS leaders are angry at confusing stand owned by the party leaders relating to legislative council election slated later during this month.

While Deve Gowda had favoured alliance with Congress, Kumaraswamy had openely called those trying to forge an understanding as Congress agents. This had triggered a strong reaction.

At the said meet, MLA, Zameer Ahmed Khan, who had taken active role in talking to Congress leaders including chief minister, Siddaramaiah, to check whether an alliance is possible, questioned Kumaraswamy about the opinion the latter has of him.

"You advise party leaders not to go before the media. But what about you? Why did you pass unwanted comments about us in front of the media?" he questioned Kumaraswamy, former chief minister and JDS state president. Zameer also defiantly said that he too chose to issue statement in the media after reading statements issued by the state president against him.

Kumaraswamy said he had not passed remarks against party leaders trying for an alliance as appearing in sections of the media. He said he is prepared to present records to prove that he was not at fault.

Deve Gowda agreed that he had said that he was in favour of striking an alliance with the Congress for this election. Saying that the issue of reaching an electoral understanding with Congress, which is the alliance partner in BBMP, is a closed chapter now, he requested party leaders to sink their differences for now and work for the party candidates in the legislative council election.

Deve Gowda seemed to have succeeded in convincing the leaders to keep quiet at the least for the time being.