Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday played down the split in his party, saying that the resignation by a section of party men would have no impact on the JD-S.
"The split will have no impact on the party. Alternative arrangements are being made to head the party in places where some of our party leaders resigned," Kumaraswamy, whose efforts to avert a split had failed, told PTI.
Senior leader M P Prakash, who hails from the dominant Lingayat community, and heads the rebel camp, on Wednesday announced his decision to quit the JD-S along with 12 former MLAs and their supporters.
Kumaraswamy, son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, said he would chart out a programme to tour the state from December 16 to strengthen the party, obviously to arrest the damage caused by the split.
A majority of the leaders who walked out of JD-S in protest of the 'dictatorial attitude' of Deve Gowda, represent the north Karnataka region, besides the Old Mysore area.
Former legislators like B C Patil, Amaregowda Byyapura, M Y Patil and Suryanarayana Reddy have sizeable clout in parts of north Karnataka and H S Mahadeva Prasad holds the key in Old Mysore.
The rebel ranks are expected to swell in the coming days, with Parimala Nagappa, wife of slain former minister H Nagappa, who hails from the Chamarajnagar district of old Mysore, also deciding to quit the JD-S.
Former minister G T Deve Gowda, who hails from Mysore will join the Baratiya Janata Party on Thursday, dealing yet another blow to the JD-S.
