The BJP is ready to concede three seats. The bone of contention appears to be the Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha constituency.
HD Kumaraswamy and HD Deve Gowda meet PM Modi. (Narendramodi/ X)
Amidst the eager wait for the release of the second list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls at the BJP’s headquarters in Delhi, attention also turns to the saffron party’s Karnataka unit and its alliance partner JD(S) in the state, as they are likely to announce their seat-sharing decision by the week’s end.
The BJP high command has already declared candidates for 195 constituencies in its first list. However, it is yet to announce candidates for at least one seat as the BJP-JD(S) leaders are likely to chair a final meeting to decide on seat-sharing.
Among the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka, JD(S) leaders are planning to demand four seats — Hassan, Mandya, Kolar, and Chikkaballapur, where the party has already begun preparations at the grassroot level.
In the latest development, the BJP high command has called off a meeting scheduled for Sunday with JD(S) leaders — including the regional party’s state chief HD Kumaraswamy — over seat sharing.
“The Sunday meeting has been cancelled as the prime minister was busy with other commitments. The party will announce fresh dates for the meeting soon,” said BJP sources.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, the BJP had won a record 25 seats, while the JD(S), the Congress, and independents had won one each.
It may be noted that the JD(S) was in alliance with the Congress in Karnataka in the last parliamentary elections.
Ever since the BJP and the JD(S) became alliance partners for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, deliberations have been going on over seat-sharing.
However, both political parties are yet to come to a conclusion on the matter, despite barely two months being left before the elections.
In a recent development in the JD(S) camp, the regional party is planning to demand four of the 28 parliamentary constituencies in the final round of talks with the BJP high command on seat sharing in Karnataka.
The final meeting between the alliance partners is likely to be scheduled later this week.
On condition of anonymity, a JD(S) MLA from the Old Mysore region told South First: “The party’s tall leaders will hold a final round of meeting with the BJP high command shortly. After this meeting, the official list on seat sharing is likely to be released.”
He added: “We are demanding four seats — Hassan, Mandya, Kolar and Chikkaballapur. But they are offering three seats. The talks are underway. We have also shortlisted candidates for seats except the Chikkaballapura segment.”
He also said: “Kumaraswamy or former minister CS Puttaraju will be the party’s face in Mandya. Incumbent MP Prajwal Revanna will be the party’s face in Hassan. Nisarga Narayanswamy and Mallesh Babu are frontrunners in Kolar. The candidates will be finalised only after the finalisation of seat sharing.”
While the JD(S) leaders are demanding four seats, the BJP’s Karnataka unit leaders claim that the party high command is likely to give only three seats to the alliance partner.
BJP leaders — including state unit chief BY Vijayendra — have camped in Delhi over finalising candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
JD(S) leaders — including Kumaraswamy — are likely to fly to Delhi to hold a final round of talks over seat sharing this week.
On condition of anonymity, a senior BJP leader told South First: “The party high command will declare the final seat share with the JD(S) for the Lok Sabha elections later this week. The meeting was scheduled on Sunday. We are expecting an official announcement on Monday.”
He added: “However, the meeting has been postponed. The party is keen on giving three seats — Hassan, Mandya, and Kolar — to the JD(S). It is also deliberating fielding a JD(S) leader on a BJP ticket in one of the constituencies in South Karnataka.”
The BJP leader also said: “The high command has carried out surveys in all the constituencies. The party will consider various factors before taking a final call over seat sharing. The central leadership will announce its decision on seat sharing in Karnataka this week without fail.”
Though the JD(S) is keen on trying its luck in the Chikkaballapur constituency, the BJP’s former minister Dr K Sudhakar is said to be lobbying with the high command for the party ticket to fight in the parliament elections.
He lost to the Congress’ Pradeep Eshwar in the 2023 Assembly elections.
The final meeting scheduled between leaders and the BJP and the JD(S) in Delhi on Sunday has been postponed, considering the busy schedule of the prime minister.
The final round meeting over the seat sharing between the alliance partners was scheduled for Sunday.
The official announcement over seat sharing was expected on Monday morning, but it is expected to be delayed further.
“The meeting has been postponed due to the busy schedule of the prime minister. The meeting will be chaired only after looking at the availability of the prime Mminister. The new dates will be announced shortly,” said sources in the BJP.
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