Congress, JD(S) agree on 20-8 LS seat-sharing deal

BENGALURU: The JD(S) on Wednesday climbed down from its initial demand of 12 seats and settled for eight of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in its deal with Congress for Karnataka. It will now contest in Hassan, Mandya, Bengaluru North, Tumakuru, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada and Vijayapura and will back Congress in the remaining 20 seats.

The JD(S) has gained two possible seats (Tumakuru and Bengaluru North) but conceded two (Mysuru and Chikkaballapura) where it has a substantial vote bank. The formula also gives JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda two options, Bengaluru North or Tumakuru, after he conceded its bastions — Mandya and Hassan – to grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna. The Congress also gave away BJP bastions Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada to the JD(S).

JD(S) general secretary K Danish Ali met AICC president Rahul Gandhi and clinched the deal following telephonic talks with Gowda.


JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda breaks down while announcing the candidature of his grandson Prajwal Revanna from Hassan on Wednesday. It was an emotional day for the Gowda family as Prajwal, his parents HD Revanna and Bhavani also cried during the event

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