With the Lok Sabha Battle 2019 around the corner, the allies of National Parties are bargaining hard and seeking maximum seats in the run-up to the Polls. Congress ally in Karnataka Janta Dal Secular JD(S)’s Chief HD Gowda on Tuesday demanded more seats in the State for the Lok Sabha 2019.
While the Rahul Gandhi Led Party with massive victories of – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh under the belt put an eye to keep maximum seats share.
HD Gowda’s 1:2 Formula
Former Prime Minister and JD(S) Chief HD Gowda on January 1 said that his party is seeking to field their Candidates on 12 out of the state’s 28 Lok Sabha seats. However, Deve Gowda asserted the Congress should give them at least nine seats, which would make it a 1:2 seat-sharing arrangement.
“The Congress has given us unconditional support after State Polls. They must honor that. We are demanding 12 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. They must give us at least nine seats. The 1/3rd formula applies to all,” Gowda said.\
Gowda’s statement came after a day when Former Chief Minister and Chairman of Coalition Coordination Committee SG Siddharamaiah claimed that BJP is making attempts to topple the Government by Horse Trading.
JD(S) Congress coalition stable; Will contest 2019 general elections together: Siddaramaiah
According to report by the English Website The Quint the ‘The Grand Old’ party is not willing to give more than 6-7 seats to its ally, however, nothing Official has been stated from both the parties.
However, Political Pundits claimed that, Gowda has begun hardball negotiations with the Congress knowing that the ‘Grand Old Party’ would not want to risk its government in Karnataka months ahead of the general elections.
Possible Deadlock in Old Mysore Region
Both the parties have a strong presence in the region and that is the reason that the Old Mysore Region might be the seat that has become a bone of Contention in the seat-sharing deal. Saffron BJP has not much presence in the region.
In the 2018 State Polls, Both – INC and JDS – have won 40 seats out of 51 even though both have contested each other. BJP secured nine seats, while JDS ally BSP won a single seat and other was bagged by an independent Candidate.
Highlights
The BJP in 2014 General Elections had won 17 seats while Congress and JD(S) followed with nine and two seats each. The JD(S) contested 25 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls against 21 in 2009 Parliamentary Elections.
The saffron party had a 43.37 percent vote share in the state followed by Congress’ 41.15 percent. The JD(S) commanded a vote share of 11.07 percent votes in last Lok Sabha Polls of 2014
In May 2018 after State Polls, Congress extended unconditional Support to JD(S) in a bid to keep BJP away from Power. Mayawati’s BSP pact with JD(S) as a result BSP saw the election of its first Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Karnataka in 25 years.
Though the Suspense over whether BSP would back JDS in upcoming is still continues. BSP Supremo in UP has finalized the seat-sharing pact with SP and choose not to take Congress on board.
Congress and JD(S) scored a crucial 4:1 win over the BJP in the by-elections for three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in Karnataka in November’18, proving that their votes were transferring within the alliance.
The alliance also managed to create an upset in Ballari, a BJP stronghold for around 15 years. Congress termed it a “teaser for what is in store for the BJP next year”.
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