Mangaluru: Senior Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders will meet on Monday to discuss seat-sharing for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters, KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao said that it would be the first round of discussion on seat-sharing. Leaders including H.D. Revanna and H Vishwanath from JD(S) and DY CM G Parameshwar and Dinesh Gundurao from Congress would be part of the meeting.
The co ordination committee of the coalition will meet next week to have discussions on this and the final decision would be taken by the High Command. Mr Gundurao reiterated that the aim was to defeat the BJP and get the maximum seats for the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka. “Keeping this as the yardstick we will take a decision,” he said.
He agreed that many leaders were aspiring for the party ticket. “Congress leaders may aspire for seats where JD(S) had won and vice versa. But all will have to agree to the decision taken on seat sharing,” he said
He added that former minister late Ambareesh’s wife Sumalatha had spoken to him too. “As Ambareesh had served the Congress, she wants to contest from the party. But we have said that nothing can be assured until seat sharing is finalised. So let us see what happens. There are sitting MPs from the JD(S) in Hassan and Mandya. Also the Congress has 10 MPs," he added.
