Rebellion is brewing in the CPI(M) as the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) unit of its student wing — the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) — has been dissolved and four state committee members expelled for revolting against the party’s decision to support UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. The decision to dissolve the SFI-JNU unit was taken by the SFI’s Delhi state committee on Tuesday with the approval of the party top brass, including general secretary Prakash Karat. Incidentally, Mr Karat happens to be one of the founder members of SFI-JNU.
The SFI-JNU unit has hit back, saying that the decision “smacks of an authoritarian, undemocratic and vindictive attitude”. “The all-India leadership seems to be under the misconception that by targeting a few individuals they will be able to browbeat the entire unit and divert attention from relevant political issues,” SFI-JNU said.
The SFI’s JNU unit came directly under fire after it openly disagreed with the CPI-M’s stand on Mr Mukherjee’s candidature despite efforts on the part of Mr Karat to address their concerns. Last week, the SFI-JNU unit had adopted a resolution saying that the “major Left party’s” move to support the UPA presidential candidate was not only “unconvincing” but against “the best interests of the Left and the democratic movement”.
On Tuesday, the Delhi state committee of the SFI said that the JNU unit has “grossly violated the constitution of the SFI” and expelled four state committee leaders — Delhi state committee president Roshan Kishore, vice-presidents P.K. Anand and Zico Dasgupta and unit secretary V. Lenin Kumar — from the primary membership of the SFI for “violating the norms and the fora”, accusing them of “actively pursuing an anti-organisational agenda”.
The SFI-JNU unit said the decision to dissolve the body “is nothing but a mockery of the democratic processes of organisation.”
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Gowda gets backing of 48 legislators
B. Aravinda Shetty and N.B. Hombal
Bengaluru, July 10
When Karnataka chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda indicated that he was ready to revolt, as many as 48 legislators, including three belonging to the Lingayat community, assembled at his official residence “Anugraha” to support their leader. Such a show of strength encouraged Mr Gowda to stand firm on heading the state BJP unit, and the induction of Mr Eshwarappa as deputy chief minister. At the end of several rounds of discussions, the leaders decided to take a call on these contentious issues later and proceed with the formality of electing Mr Shettar as the new leader of the legislature party.
In the evening, Mr Gowda and Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa proposed the name of Mr Jagadish Shettar, while Mr Eshwarappa and senior minister Govinda Karjol seconded his candidature.
Speaking to mediapersons, Mr Rajnath Singh said, “Mr Gowda will submit his resignation to the governor on Wednesday and Mr Shettar will stake claim to form the new government.”