With Kumaraswamy in Modi 3.0, Kerala JD(S) gives in to LDF pressure, set to form new outfit

Facing heat from Oppn in the state, CPM had asked JD(S) unit to either cut ties with parent party or exit LDF

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy takes charge as Minister of Heavy Industries. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

4 min readThiruvananthapuramJun 20, 2024 07:15 AM IST First published on: Jun 20, 2024 at 07:15 AM IST

The Janata Dal (Secular)’s Kerala unit, which is an ally of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state, has decided to float a new outfit, saying that it cannot be part of a party that allies with the BJP.

The JD(S)’s Kerala unit president and MLA Mathew T Thomas told the media Wednesday: “The party in Kerala does not want to be known as a fraction of a party that is an ally of BJP. After considering legal aspects, we will take a decision in such a manner to allow all elected members of the party, including those in local bodies, to continue in their posts. A new party will be registered and the state unit of the JD (S) will get merged into that new party,’’ he said.

The JD(S) has two MLAs in Kerala — Thomas and K Krishnakutty. The latter is the power minister in the CPM-led LDF government.

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The JD(S) joined the BJP-led NDA in September 2023. Since then, the CPM has been putting pressure on the state JD(S) unit to either cut ties with the JD(S) leadership or exit the LDF in the state.

The JD(S)’s Kerala unit had then even announced that it had decided to snap ties with the parent party and that it would explore the option of forming a new party to remain with the LDF. But there was no movement on that front so far.

The issue has now assumed urgency after the JD(S) joined the Narendra Modi-led NDA government 3.0 earlier this month, with senior JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy inducted as the Union minister of steel and heavy industries.

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The CPM started facing heat from other allies of the LDF. Last week, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has one MLA in Kerala, has raised questions over the JD(S) continuing to be a part of the LDF Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The state Congress has been alleging that Kumaraswamy joined the Modi Cabinet with the “tacit consent” of the CPM in Kerala.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the CPM should “reveal under which circumstances JD(S) nominee K Krishnakutty is continuing in the LDF Cabinet in Kerala”.

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“This shows the CPM’s double standards. CM Vijayan has no moral right to lecture Congress on fighting Sangh Parivar and BJP. Vijayan is protecting the NDA ally in his Cabinet. It shows that in Kerala also we have an alliance between NDA and LDF,’’ he said.

The socialist parties in Kerala had faced similar troubles in the past due to their national leaderships changing their political allegiances.

In 2010, a JD(S) faction walked out of the LDF to form the Socialist Janata Dal (SJD). It became an ally of the Congress later.

Subsequently, the SJD merged with the Janata Dal (United) under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. But the Kerala faction of the JD(U) again faced a crisis when Nitish ended his alliance with the Congress in Bihar to return to the NDA fold. In another turnaround, Kerala JD(U) leaders led by MP Veerendra Kumar then joined Sharad Yadav’s Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD).

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express Read More