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The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) have formally started seat-sharing discussions here on Thursday with a meeting between JD(S) leader and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and Congress President Rahul Gandhi. The JD(S), which was sticking to its demand of 12 seats, expressed its willingness to contest from 10 seats. Sources in both the parties said the discussion was not on numbers but certain constituencies where both the parties are equally powerful. The meeting was held at Gowda’s official residence here. The agreement is likely to be announced by March 10.
“Gandhi discussed seat-sharing in Karnataka. This is the first such discussion between the two parties... Earlier, I had asked for 12 seats. At the meeting, I requested Rahulji to give at least 10 seats to the JD(S),” Gowda told reporters after the meeting.
Rahul to take final call
He said the objective of the pre-poll alliance is to win the elections and added that the Congress President will take the final call on the seat-sharing arrangement after taking inputs from JD(S) general secretary Danish Ali and Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal.
“Some issues which were not discussed at the meeting have been left to me and Venugopal,” Ali said. “We are going to reach a decision shortly and will announce it by March 10,” he added.
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