BENGALURU: As the Lok Sabha elections near, the Janata Dal (Secular), which is governing Karnataka in an alliance with the Congress is headed for a battle over seat-sharing.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in a public address on Thursday made a fervent plea to workers to ensure that the party sends 12 to 14 MPs to the Lower House.
“Send 12 to 14 MPs to Parliament and then other parties will come to our doorstep for our support,’’ Indian Express quoted Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy as saying.
The statement from Kumaraswamy comes close on the heels after the Janata Dal (Secular) supremo former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday sparked controversy by pitching for a 2:1 seat-sharing formula for the coming Lok Sabha elections.
“The seat sharing will be on a 2:1 formula. After the formation of the coalition government, this formula was adopted in allocating portfolios, (heads of) boards and corporations. Naturally, the same formula will apply to Lok Sabha seats,” a leading news agency quoted Deve Gowda as saying to reporters.
As JD(S) bargaining hard for more seats than their quota (demanding 12 of 28 seats) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the seat-sharing battle is heating up between the coalition partners, who announced a pre-poll alliance for the Parliamentary elections.