Thiruvananthapuram: The JD(S) Kerala faction has decided to cut all its ties with the party led by its supremo Deve Gowda in Karnataka. The Kerala leadership of the JD(S) has apparently decided to exist as a solely independent ‘entity’-as a separate ‘state party’. As part of this move, party members in Kerala are currently planning to quit the posts that they serve at the national level. 

However, it is known that MLA Mathew T Thomas and Minister K Krishnan Kutty will not give up on their national management committee memberships soon. It is widely feared that the sudden change of loyalties might very well be dubbed as violations of the anti defection laws.       

It should be noted that, a rebel faction, under CK Nanu in Kerala had already declared their independence from the Deve Gowda led party and had started functioning as a separate entity since some time now. The members of the rebel group had even submitted a letter to the LDF claiming that they were the real JD(S) party. The developments had put paty’s official state (Kerala) leadership in a spot of bother.

The latest decision was taken by the JD (S) Kerala faction in the party meeting held yesterday. In accordance with the meeting held by the official wing of the party in Kerala, national general secretaries Neelalohithadasan Nadar, Jose Thettayil and national secretary Advocate Safarulla along with other national management committee members will quit their posts at the earliest. 

In the meeting, a stern warning was given to those working closely with the ‘Nanu’ group in Kerala.

In the meeting it was also decided that any challenges under the anti defection laws will be dealt with legally as per the circumstances. It should be noted that back in 2006, JD (S) Kerala had functioned as a separate entity under late MP Veerendrakumar opposing the views held by Deve Gowda.