Bengaluru: JD(S) has issued a notice to its members barring them from speaking to or addressing the media. The notice was sent following the party's humiliating performance in the Lok Sabha election.

JD(S) had managed to get only one seat out of 28 Parliamentary seats in Karnataka. Though the party fought the election on a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress, even the latter secured only one seat whereas BJP won 25 seats and one was secured by the BJP-supported Mandya-candidate Sumalatha.

Following this development, JD(S) and Congress held a meeting of their leaders, where chief minister Kumaraswamy offered to step down and extended support to any candidate from Congress to be the chief minister. But as per reports, AICC president Rahul Gandhi himself asked Kumaraswamy to continue as the chief minister.

With JD(S) leaders expressing their disappointment over the results openly, the party held a meeting and has asked the leaders and members to stay away from the media.

JD(S) state president AH Vishwanath said, "Unlike other parties JD(S) has not made a list of spokespersons authorised to take part in TV debates. As a result, even those who are not authorised by the party are taking part in these debates representing the party. So, we have instructed the party members not to represent JD(S) in TV debates, till the party finalises a list."

A letter in this regard states: "It was decided in the legislative committee meeting of the party that members or leaders should not take part in the debates held by media and also should not give any statements to them. Thus, no one is allowed to give any statements to the TV or the print media. You cannot take part in the TV debates as party spokespersons. Party stresses that you should follow this order."