Muslim Leaders Leave JDS as It Joins BJP-Led NDA

Bengaluru: Muslim leaders have started to quit Janata Dal Secular (JDS), following the party’s decision to join the BJP-led NDA.

A group of Muslim leaders including former minister N.M. Nabi, JDS senior vice-president Syed Shafiullah, youth wing president N.M. Noor and minority wing chief Nasser Hussain resigned from the party.

There are reports that another JDS bigwig, former state president C.M. Ibrahim, is likely to quit. He has been a close associate of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda since the 1970s.

While there are no Muslims among the 19 JDS MLAs elected in the May state elections, B.M. Farooq is a lone member of the legislative council (upper House) from the community.

Karnataka State minister for housing B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan reminded the contribution of Muslim voters to whatever the JDS has achieved so far. He noted that even Kumaraswamy would have lost in the Channapatna Assembly constituency had it not been for the Muslim voters.