Rebellion In JD(S) As Senior Leader Shafiulla Breaks Away Over Party Joining NDA, Says 'Many Upset'

Former minister NM Nabi, former New Delhi representative Mohid Altaf, youth wing chief NM Noor, state vice president Syed Shafiulla, former minority wing chief Nasir Hussain Ustad decided to resign.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda with former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

New Delhi: Rebellion broke out in Janata Dal (Secular) after senior Muslim leaders decided to resign following the party’s announcement of forming an alliance with the BJP, a report by Deccan Herald stated. Former minister NM Nabi, former New Delhi representative Mohid Altaf, youth wing chief NM Noor, state vice president Syed Shafiulla and former minority wing chief Nasir Hussain Ustad decided to resign after JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy announced the collaboration.

Tendering his resignation, Shafiulla wrote, “I would like to state that I have worked hard and served the party in order to serve the society and community only because our party was believing and was standing on the secular credentials, except when our leader Shri Kumaraswamy had earlier joined hands with the 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 the join hands with the BJP, I have been left with no option but to tender my resignation.”

Senior State Vice President of JDS, Syed Shafiulla resigned from the party after the JDS decided to have an alliance with BJP. pic.twitter.com/QOEv3HaG6B

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 23, 2023

“Muslim leaders are upset. We're not happy because JD(S), being a secular party, has decided to join the BJP that created many communal issues when it was in power in the state. Not just Muslim leaders, even some secular Hindus are disappointed,” Shafiulla told Deccan Herald.

The development comes a day after JD(S) decided to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday.

After the meeting Nadda tweeted, “I am happy that JD(S) has decided to be the part of National Democratic Alliance. We wholeheartedly welcome them in the NDA. This will further strengthen NDA and vision of Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji for 'New India, Strong India'.”