BENGALURU: In a clear indication of the deepening crisis in the JDS, former MLC and the party’s national general secretary Ramesh Babu on Saturday resigned. In the last few days, many party leaders have expressed displeasure over loyal workers being neglected.
The former MLC was pained by the party’s decision not to field him as the candidate from the graduates constituency in the MLC elections. In his resignation letter to party supremo HD Deve Gowda, the former MLC stated that even the former PM is aware of the reason behind his resignation.
“Though I had worked sincerely for the party, I could not get an opportunity to work as MLC for one full term. Many loyal workers miss such opportunities for various reasons,” he said.Babu, who had worked as the JDS spokesperson from 2008, was among the most visible faces of the regional party. “I have still not decided on my future course of action,” he said when asked about his next move.
Sources said many leaders in the party are upset with the leadership. “It (JDS) has lost the character of a political party,” said one party leader. “When the party was in power, they did not even appoint heads for boards and corporations. Workers’ concerns were not addressed and the same situation continues,” said the leader. Another leader Madhu Bangarappa had recently expressed displeasure over the state of affairs in the party. MLA GT Deve Gowda has also distanced himself from the party.
On Saturday, former CM HD Kumaraswamy said there is no need to give too much importance to Babu’s resignation. “The party is depending on its workers,” he said, adding that Babu had asked the party to deny a ticket to a sitting MLC to accommodate him. When his demand was not considered, he took a decision to resign, Kumaraswamy said.