JD(S) to contest from 3 seats in LS polls, claims former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy
Former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy of JD(S) revealed BJP agreed to concede 3 seats - Hassan, Kolar, Mandya. Seat allocation pending, alliance remains strong.
Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy revealed on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has agreed to concede three seats to the regional party.
“We are set to contest in three constituencies — Hassan, Kolar, and Mandya. This decision was reached in discussion with BJP leaders. While there may have been discussions about two additional seats, I lack the resources to field candidates,” Kumaraswamy said.
“I don’t have the strength to manage elections (if more seats are given). Since 2007, for 17 years, I have run this party alone with the guidance from Deve Gowda,” he added.
Currently, Prajwal Revanna of JD(S) represents Hassan, Sumalatha Ambareesh, backed by BJP, represents Mandya, and S Muniraju represents Kolar under BJP’s banner. JD(S) has already declared Revanna as its candidate from Hassan. There are indications that former minister CS Puttaraju might secure the ticket from Mandya. However, the candidate for Kolar is yet to be finalised. The official announcement regarding seat allocation is pending from the leadership of both parties.
“JD(S) cannot be finished off by anyone. In the Chitradurga, Bijapur and Raichur constituencies, we have 2.5 lakh (250,000) voters. At Gulbarga, we have 1.9 lakh (190,000)…So, I requested the BJP workers. In the past, the Congress slit our throat,” the JD(S) leader stated, referring to the defeat faced by Congress-JD(S) coalition in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
In September last year, JD(S) had allied with BJP in Karnataka and formally joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This alliance was declared by Kumaraswamy following discussions with Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in New Delhi.
Despite numerous rounds of negotiations on seat-sharing, an official statement is yet to be released by the BJP.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) contested in seven constituencies but secured victory only in Hassan which has been the traditional stronghold of the Gowda family.
