THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finding itself on a sticky wicket after party chief HD Deve Gowda is set to forge an alliance with BJP, the Kerala JDS has decided to explore the possibility of finding common ground with other state units that oppose Deve Gowda’s move. The JD(S) meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday formed a four-member panel to take a call on the issue.
There are speculations that some leaders wanted the Kerala JD(S) to form a new party in view of the current crisis. However, senior leaders, including state president Mathew T Thomas and minister K Krishnankutty, opposed it.
“No decision has been taken to form a new party as we are the original JDS. There’s no decision either by the national executive or Karnataka state unit to align with the BJP. Now Gowda himself has violated the decisions of the party. The national plenum held in Bengaluru in October 2022 is aimed at forming a common platform of non-Congress and anti-BJP parties,” senior leader Jose Thettayil told TNIE.
The four-member panel formed on Wednesday consisting of national office-bearers C K Nanu, Neelalohithadas, Jose Thettayil and Safarulla has been asked to explore possibilities of finding a common ground. The committee will examine all aspects and come up with a report this month itself. Based on the report, another meeting will be held in November.
The party entrusted Mathew Thomas and Krishnankutty to apprise the CPM leadership about the current scenario in the party. The CPM leadership had earlier asked the JDS to settle the ensuing dust over Gowda’s BJP entry. The Left Front had made it clear that the JDS could not remain within the front while being an ally of the BJP.
The Kerala JDS has already consulted the Bihar party unit “The Bihar unit is in favour of the stance taken by the Kerala JDS. They have informed us that they will stand with us,” Neelalohithadas told TNIE.