The veteran of many a battle still calls the shots in JD(S)

Bengaluru: Former PM H.D. Deve Gowda still calls the shots in the JD(S) despite reports that son H.D. Kumaraswamy has been challenging him in recent months.

According to party leaders, "It is Deve Gowda who call the shots in the party."

Mr Deve Gowda is the national president of the party since its inception in 1999 after the Janata Dal which was in power in the State broke up into Janata Dal Secular and Janata Dal United. "Deve Gowda is the decision-maker. All the legislators, MPs and leaders abide by his decisions including Kumaraswamy," a party functionary told Deccan Chronicle on Friday adding that "There is no question of a power struggle between Gowda and Kumaraswamy for domination. The political acumen of Mr Gowda is way ahead of that of Kumaraswamy."

Party MLA from Basavakalyan  Mallikarjun Khuba says "Reports of a power struggle are aimed at creating confusion. Decisions in the party are taken by Deve Gowda and Kumara swamy after holding consultations."

One of the recent decisions of Deve Gowda, a leader said was not to field candidates in the forthcoming assembly bypolls in the State while Kumaraswamy was inclined to field candidates. Mr Gowda reportedly advised Kumaraswamy to focus on the gram panchayat and zilla panchayat polls rather than the bypolls which would make no difference to the JDS.

Another source close to Deve Gowda says Kumaraswamy takes advice from Gowda almost daily. A party functionary observed that the JD(S) continues to have a strong base in  Old Mysore and is backed by the Vokkaligas, the community Deve Gowda belongs to. "He is a force to reckon with in the region and not Kumaraswamy. There is no face in JD(S) which can replace Deve Gowda.”