Bengaluru: Adding to the JDS-Congress’ woes, sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanumegowda and former party MLA K N Rajanna are upset over the party’s decision to cede the Tumkur seat to JD(S), despite the party having its sitting MP there. Both the leaders have filed their nominations from Tumkur for the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Tumkur will go to the polls in the first phase on 18 April and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is 29 March. In the seat sharing talks, Tumkur was allotted to JD(S) much to the displeasure of the two Congress leaders and the party members are making all attempts to pacify the rebel candidates for having filed nominations against former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.
In both Mysore and Tumkur, the Vokkaliga community, a strong vote bank of the JD(S), is dominant and the Congress too has considerable presence there.
Meanwhile, Pradesh Congress Chief Dinesh Gudu Rao said that they would solve the issue soon. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who hails from Tumkur, also expressed confidence that Muddahanumegowda would withdraw in the larger interest of defeating the BJP.
It is to be noted that Muddahanumegowda who is determined to contest, is the only member among 10 sitting Congress MPs from Karnataka who have not received the ticket.
Muddahanumegowda speaking to reporters said that he will not backtrack and will contest the polls as per the wish of his voters and supporters. He further said that he had not received the Congress ticket till Tuesday evening, the last day to file nomination, but that both alliance partners still had a chance to declare him as their candidate.
On the other hand, Rajanna said his decision would depend on what Muddahanumegowda decides to do and that he supported him fully.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition is reportedly facing a backlash at several places as party workers are unhappy with the seat arrangements.