Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 9 (IANS): Already in trouble, the Kerala unit of the JD(S) suffered another jolt on Saturday after its national President and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda expelled top party leader in the state, C.K. Nanu, the sole national vice-president of JD(S) and an ex-state minister.

Nanu was expelled along with C.M. Ibrahim, former Karnataka unit chief of the JD(S), who questioned JD(S)' alliance with the BJP at the party's national executive meeting held in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Incidentally, the national leadership of the JD(S) had issued an ultimatum to its two legislatures in Kerala, asking them to attend the national executive meeting on Saturday, but neither of them showed up, nor did anyone from Kerala.

In Kerala, the JD(S) is a full-fledged ally of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), and its nominee K. Krishnankutty is the state Power Minister, while its state unit chief Mathew T. Thomas is an MLA.

Both the leaders have categorically slammed Gowda for his decision to form alliance with the BJP.

The JD(S) in Kerala is split between the two legislatures and their supporters while there is another front led by Nanu and his group.

The two legislatures had skipped the meeting called by Nanu last month, making it clear that things are not smooth in the Kerala unit of JD(S).

Following JD(S)' alliance with the BJP, the Congress had termed Chieef Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as the 'captain' of the B Team of BJP for continuing with a JD(S) MLA in his Cabinet. The state unit of BJP, meanwhile, has told the JD(S) in Kerala to join the NDA, and if not, its two legislators should quit from the Assembly.