Former prime minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H D Deve Gowda will launch the first phase of his party's election campaign to the coming mid term-polls for the Karnataka Assembly in the first week of January next year.

Announcing this on Monday night, he told newsmen that he would first concentrate on North Karnataka districts.

The JD(S) had been hit hard by dissident activity with in the party after it brought down the one-week-old BJP government in October.

The rebellion was led by former deputy chief minister and prominent Lingayat community leader M P Prakash. This group quit the party and decided to join some other party.

"I will start the North Karnataka tour. Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is recovering from an open-heart surgery, will join me later," Gowda said.

"We have launched a special membership drive to enroll 1 lakh new members in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy will lead the party in the coming election," he added.