K'taka unit JD-S VP resigns after party forges alliance with BJP

Bengaluru: The Karnataka unit president of Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), Syed Shafiulla Saheb, on Saturday resigned from the party, saying he was not happy over his party's alliance with the BJP.

He had also held meetings with other Muslim leaders of the party regarding the "future course of action".

According to sources, the JD-S holds a "considerable influence" over the Muslim community in the state.

In fact, on many occasions, Muslims also opted for JD-S over the Congress.

However, the alliance has come as a shocker to the Muslim community, with some political observers saying the JD-S is likely to lose its support base.

Shafiulla, in his resignation letter, said: "I would like to state that I have worked hard and served the party in order to serve the society and the community only because our party believed and was standing on the secular credentials, except when our leader (H.D.) Kumaraswamy had earlier joined hands with BJP to form the government in the state.

"I would also like to mention that I had opted to stay outside the party for the period during which our state unit of the party had joined with the BJP to form the state government. Since the party's senior leaders are now deciding to join hands with the BJP, I am left with no option but to tender my resignation from the party's Senior Vice President's Office of the state and also my Primary Membership of the party."

The letter has been sent to C.M. Ibrahim, the President of the JD-S Karnataka Unit and the former PM H.D. Deve Gowda, the National President of JD-S.

Many state office bearers are also expected to tender their resignation soon.

Sources said that a good number of the JD-S MLAs in Karnataka may take a call to join Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.