H K Kumaraswamy named Janata Dal (Secular) state chief; Nikhil Kumaraswamy youth wing president

Janata Dal (Secular) on Thursday named H K Kumaraswamy as the new party president for Karnataka and Madhu Bangarappa as the working president.

The post for party president became vacant after A H Vishwanath had resigned taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Madhu Bangarappa will be the working president of JDS. We have decided to have only one working president, there is no question of multiple working presidents," said JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda.

The state committee also elected Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy to lead its youth wing in the state.

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"Last week I said questions might arise that your family dynasty continues, but this came as a shock for me. I was really surprised when HD Deve Gowda Ji took this call. I am looking forward to work for the party," said Nikhil Kumaraswamy while speaking to media.

Last month, Gowda had hinted on a possible rift between the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka.

Deve Gowda said, "The leaders of the party (Congress) are worried that they will perish if they continue to go forward with us. They are observing extreme caution in maintaining the coalition government. To ensure this they have even taken a cabinet berth that was allotted to the JD(S). We are just enduring everything and moving forward."

The dissidence within the coalition has been making news since Kumaraswamy took oath a year ago, the severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections have further embarrassed the two partners. Of the 28 seats, Congress and JD(S) managed to win just one seat each and BJP won the lion's share of 25 seats.

(With inputs from agencies)