JDS roots for Gowda son, suspends rebels

The action against Mohan comes in the wake of the rebel faction owing loyalty to MP Veerendrakumar electing him as president after removing Gowda from the top organisational post. Veerendrakumar was suspended from the party last week.

The rebels were opposed to the party aligning with BJP to form a coalition government in Karnataka and had campaigned against the JDS candidate in the recent Chamundeswari Assembly by-election in Karnataka.

Congress candidate and former party leader Siddaramaiah had won the seat. Sources said Kumaraswamy, who is in the capital, will attend the second session of the executive as his suspension was revoked.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy thanked the executive for revoking his suspension and promised that he would do whatever possible to preserve the secular identity of the party, sources said. Out of the 55 executive members, 47 attended the meeting, sources claimed. Eighteen out of its 21 state unit presidents also attended the executive.

However, presidents of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir have priorly informed their inability to attend today8217;s meeting. The executive also suggested that strong action should be taken against those who attended the meeting called by Veerendrakumar and PGR Scindia.