THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left ally Janata Dal (S) is on the verge of a virtual split with a section of leaders owing allegiance to expelled president C K Nanu announcing that they would not follow JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda’s decision to dissolve the party state unit. They have also decided to approach the LDF leadership demanding that leaders of the official faction - Mathew T Thomas and minister K Krishnankutty - should not be allowed to attend the LDF meeting on behalf of JD(S). They also announced their decision to sever all ties with the Deve Gowda-led national leadership. However, Nanu told Express that attempts are on to resolve the issue amicably and avoid a split.
It was in October that the party national leadership announced its decision to dissolve the state unit under senior leader and Vadakara MLA CK Nanu. Instead, an ad hoc panel led by former minister Mathew T Thomas was appointed. On Saturday a section of leaders, who support CK Nanu, called a state council meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. According to party general secretary George Thomas who led the movement, the meeting was attended by 63 of the 91 existing state council members.
“It was the party state council meeting. A total of 107 leaders, including 62 of the existing 91 state council members from almost 12 district committees, attended the meeting. We have decided to inform the national leadership that the decision to dissolve the state council remains void. The announcement was made without following disciplinary procedures, and also without sufficient reasons. The state council is not bound to follow such an invalid decision,” George Thomas told Express.
The rebel faction is of the view that the new ad hoc committee under Mathew T Thomas cannot be accepted. It also demanded that the mystery behind the accident death of journalist S V Pradeep should be unearthed. C K Nanu told TNIE that “There are certain issues about the national leadership taking disciplinary action against some leaders. Till now it was not aired in public, as the LSG elections were on. Now they have openly expressed their resentment. I have spoken with senior leaders who agreed to address the issues and resolve it amicably. “