Janata Dal Secular president H.D. Deve Gowda has landed the CPM in a spot by claiming that his decision to move to the NDA had the approval of his party’s minister in Kerala, where the JDS is part of the Left government, besides that of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Former Prime Minister Gowda made the claim while answering questions at a media conference in Bangalore on Thursday where he announced the sacking of Karnataka JDS president C.M. Ibrahim, who had revolted against the party’s decision to join the BJP-led NDA.

While Ibrahim had claimed the support of several state leaders, especially from the Muslim community, and the state units of Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Gowda’s claim has forced the CPM to do all the explaining.

“We are part of the government in Kerala and we have a minister (K. Krishnankutty) there. These (state) units have understood the reason and backed our move to the NDA. Our minister in Kerala has given his consent,” Gowda had said.

He went on to claim the support of Vijayan. “The chief minister of Kerala’s Left government, Pinarayi Vijayan, has given full concurrence to move forward in Karnataka with the BJP to save the party,” Gowda said, not mentioning that the JDS state units in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have objected to the decision to join hands with the BJP.

Vijayan used strong words and accused the JDS patriarch of finding excuses for his own political somersaults. “The statement made by Deve Gowda is totally false and ridiculous. He is lying to justify his own political somersaults,” the Kerala chief minister said in a statement on Friday.

“Political decency warrants Deve Gowda correct his ridiculous statements,” Vijayan demanded.

“The JDS has for long been part of the Left Democratic Front in Kerala. Their (Kerala) state leaders have the history of severing ties (with the JDS national leadership) whenever the national leadership takes a different stand,” the CPM veteran said.

He pointed out how the Kerala unit of the JDS had openly revolted against Gowda even in the past. “This is not the first time Deve Gowda is going with the BJP. Everyone would remember the circumstances that led the JDS to the BJP in 2006. Gowda is a man who went back on his party’s political philosophy and joined hands with the BJP just to ensure his son gets the chief minister’s chair,” Vijayan said.