'Seat-sharing talks will be completed in 2-3 days'

WATCH | Siddaramaiah in a candid conversation with DH

Congress Legislature Party leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the seat-sharing process for the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka with alliance partner, the JD(S), will be completed in two to three days.

In an interaction organised by Deccan Herald and Prajavani, Siddaramaiah said that “winnability” and performance of parties in previous elections will be the main criteria for seat sharing.

There has been a bone of contention among the coalition partners on which party should contest in a few constituencies including Mysore, Chikkaballapur, Tumkur- for which both have staked claimed. Several rounds of talks between top leaders of the two parties have failed to break the deadlock.

“Discussion is going on between both the parties. We will resolve it amicably”, Siddaramaiah said.

To a question whether the Congress will cede the Bangalore (North) seat to the JD(S) if former prime minister H D Deve Gowda decides to contest from the constituency, Siddaramaiah said, “He (Deve Gowda) has not revealed from which constituency he will contest. If he makes an announcement our high command will consider”.

Gowda has decided to allow his grandson Prajwal Revanna to make his electoral debut from Hassan, a seat which he at present represents in the Lok Sabha.

To a query on why he is so adamant against conceding Mysore seat which the JD(S) is keen to contest, Siddaramaiah, “Its winnability. We have a better chance of winning there,” he said.

On other seats - Uttara Kannada, Bijapur, Chikkamagaluru-Udupi sought by JD(S), Siddaramaiah said “If they convince us about their vote bank and victory possibility, we will give them those seats. Ultimately our main aim to defeat the BJP.”

READ MORE

No inclination to contest Lok Sabha polls: Siddaramaiah