Bengaluru : Janata Dal (S) State president H. Vishwanath on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party post, making a string of accusations against the coalition partner Congress, and in particularly against former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Speaking to presspersons, he said that the humiliating defeat of the party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda was something of a “khedda operation” and blamed it on the non co-operation of the State Congress leaders.

Targeting Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Vishwanath said that he had kept the party presidents of both Congress and JD(S) from coordination committee. This had resulted in failure of coordination effort. Criticising his party leaders as well, he said neither Mr. Gowda nor CM H.D. Kumaraswamy had objected to the non inclusion.

Speaking on the CM’s son Nikhil Gowda’s defeat in Mandya, he said irresponsible statements of his own party leaders and non-cooperation of Congress leaders had brought about this situation.

Mr Vishwanath took over as the party’s state president in August 2018 to facilitate “smooth functioning of the coalition government ruling the State, especially in the wake of alleged hurdles created by former Chief Minister and Chairman Coalition Coordination Committee Siddaramaiah. A former Congressman, Mr Vishwanath had joined JD (S) in July 2017.

Spiking the rumours that he would join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said, “Who would join a party which performed miserably in local body polls?” To a query on whether he would join the cabinet, Mr. Vishwanath said that, “I won’t refuse the offer. But, I won’t ask for any position.”

Mr. Vishwanath had expressed his desire to step down from the position some time ago, citing health concerns. However, he continued after party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda persuaded him not to step down.

Sources in JD (S) said that party was not in a mood to persuade Mr. Vishwanath to continue in the post and Mr. Kumaraswamy would take over the post to infuse confidence of the workers in the party.