Janata Dal (Secular) State president H.K. Kumaraswamy has announced that he will resign as president of the party on April 17 and hand over the charge to C.M. Ibrahim, who joined the party recently.
The six-time MLA told presspersons in Sakleshpur on Friday that he was ready to “sacrifice any post” in the interest of the party. “Party national president H.D. Deve Gowda and the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy have both discussed the issue with me. I have agreed to step down. And, I am happy that Mr. Ibrahim has joined our party. We will work together to strengthen the party,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim, who quit the Congress on March 12, resigned from his membership of the Karnataka Legislative Council on March 31. His tenure was to end in June 2024. He also announced his decision to join the JD(S) “unconditionally”.
Mr. H.K. Kumaraswamy was appointed the party’s State president in July 2019 to replace A.H. Vishwanath, who later resigned as MLA and joined the BJP. The post had come his way at a time when he was expecting a ministerial berth in the JD(S)–Congress coalition government.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who represents Sakleshpur in the State Assembly, said he would be happy to give up his responsibility as the party’s State chief as he had to concentrate on his constituency. “We have to face the election in a year. I have to concentrate on my constituency,” he said.
