C.M. Ibrahim, who resigned from the Congress a few days ago, on Sunday took over as president of the Janata Dal (Secular) State unit in the presence of party national president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and other senior leaders.
H.K. Kumaraswamy, Sakleshpur MLA who stepped down from the post of State unit president, assumed office as president of the party’s National Parliamentary Board.
Mr. Ibrahim, 73, who served as Union Minister in the governments of Mr. Gowda and I.K. Gujral during 1996-98, quit the Congress after he was denied the Leader of the Opposition post in the Legislative Council. Mr. Ibrahim alleged that the Congress had denied him the post because he had no money and belonged to the minority community.
Mr. Ibrahim maintained that the Congress would not come to power after 2023 Assembly elections. “H.D. Kumaraswamy will become the next Chief Minister of the State,” he predicted.
Mr. Gowda said leaders of other parties had indulged in negative campaigns against the JD(S) and projected the party as the “Vokkaliga party”, which was wrong. There were just four Ministers belonging to the Vokkaliga community when he headed the State Government in the mid-1990s. He had provided berths to OBCs, SCs, STs, and other community leaders in his Cabinet. He provided reservation in State Government jobs for Muslims, Mr. Gowda said.
Mr. Gowda said: “The party will survive with the blessings of the Almighty. No one can destroy the party”. He expressed confidence that the party would secure 123 seats in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Mr. Kumaraswamy wished success to Mr. Ibrahim and said, “Let the party come to power under your leadership”.
