Janata Dal (S) groups parting ways with clear perception

By O J George

Kottayam: It is good that the Janta Dal(S) groups have gone about expressing themselves quite clearly about their respective stance.

The moment M.P.Veerendra Kumar was denied a Lok Sabha seat, it was clear he would not affiliate with the LDF anymore.

He has contributed to some extent for increasing the margin of victory of UDF candidates in the election.

Now he cannot remain part of the LDF, which he says, had ousted him and his group.

Now Deve Gowda, who always loves to remain with opportunities for grabbing power, is naturally with the LDF, whose government has roughly two more years to complete its five-year tenure.

Although Mathew T Thomas had to quit as decided by the party state unit, he and another MLA, Jose Thettayil, want to remain with the LDF.

There are three other MLAs who staunchly remain with the Veerendra Kumar group.

Now to retain MLAship of the rival group, they have to take disciplinary action against each other like mutual expulsion. Otherwise, they would invite action like disqualification on account of anti-defection law.

I am happy about one thing. Both groups have expressed their views quite clearly. There is no dilly-dallying. In democracy, it should be like that.

If they cannot continue together, let them part ways. Veerendra Kumar bidding adieu to Deve Gowda is nothing new.

The whole state unit of Janata Dal(S) had abandoned Deve Gowda when his group allied itself with the BJP for forming a government in Karnataka by Kumaraswamy, son of Deve Gowda. It is another matter Deve Gowda ditched the BJP subsequently, without offering half of the agreed tenure to the BJP.

Clarity, and not evasion, should be the strong-point of political way forward.