JD(S) sacks Karnataka chief days after his protest over alliance with BJP

Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda on Thursday removed the Karnataka unit chief Chand Mahal Ibrahim from his position by dissolving the party’s state-level executive committee, PTI reported.

Gowda appointed his son, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, as the ad-hoc president of the party’s state unit.

This comes days after Ibrahim defied the party leadership and said that the Janata Dal (Secular) will not join the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

On Monday, Ibrahim said that his faction is the “original” Janata Dal (Secular) and being the Karnataka unit president, he could make a decision about the party in the state.

Ibrahim also urged Gowda to not give his consent for the alliance with the BJP, citing the resignations of several party leaders in other states. Ibrahim also said that he will form a committee to chart the course of action.

Following this, Kumaraswamy had indicated that actions will be taken against Ibrahim, The Hindu reported. “If his party is original, then let him put up a board that he is the original one,” said Kumaraswamy. “Who has stopped him? Let him do whatever he wants. He is free to do it. It is left to him.”

After Gowda’s announcement on Thursday, Kumaraswamy said that the decision to disband the state executive committee was taken...

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