Lok Sabha polls seat sharing: Hassan, Mandya, Shivamogga in JD(S) bag?

Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (S) is reportedly on tentherhooks about the outcome of the AICC screening committee, which will decide the seat sharing pattern in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha poll with conflicting reports coming in on the suggestions of local Congress leaders like Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Krishna Byregowda.

Going by sources, the local leaders have no objection to giving JD(S), Hassan, Mandya and Shivamogga, where it had lost by a margin of around 50,000 votes and are also willing to part with Raichur in north Karnataka and Karwar in coastal Karnataka. In other places like Tumakuru, Chickaballapur and Mysuru, the local Congress leaders want a friendly fight which would help their party win these seats.

But the JD(S) reportedly has its eye on all three seats besides Vijayapura, where it has a candidate ready. But it could take another three or four days for things to become clearer as party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda is likely to have a final meeting with Congress president, Rahul Gandhi on seat sharing, sources said.