BJP-JDS Dispute over Seat Sharing Resolved

As the countdown to the Lok Sabha election intensifies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalized a seat-sharing agreement with the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka. Under this arrangement, the JD(S), led by HD Deve Gowda, has secured three seats, sources said. And it is officially yet to be announced.

Reports suggest that the JD(S) will be contesting in the Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar constituencies of Karnataka. Additionally, in Bangalore Rural, CN Manjunath, the son-in-law of Mr. Deve Gowda, will contest under the BJP’s lotus symbol.

This announcement follows concerns expressed by JD(S) leaders regarding the BJP’s unilateral candidate selection for 20 out of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats. During discussions with former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy, leaders conveyed their dissatisfaction with the BJP’s exclusion of JD(S) from strategic discussions, labeling it detrimental to the party’s interests. Mr. Kumaraswamy had previously warned that JD(S) would independently announce candidates if their demand for three seats wasn’t met.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP dominated by winning 25 seats, while Congress and JD(S) secured one seat each. Presently, Congress governs Karnataka following a resounding victory in the state assembly elections last year.

Among the three seats allotted to JD(S), Kolar is currently held by BJP, Hassan by JD(S), and Mandya by an Independent candidate. Negotiations between JD(S) and BJP stalled over the Kolar seat, with BJP asserting its hold due to the previous victory. However, JD(S) remained adamant on securing three seats, refusing to settle for less.