Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 15: KPCC campaign committee organized a meeting on Thursday February 14 to draw up plans to hold electioneering meetings during the Lok Sabha election. The meeting, held at Congress Bhavan here and presided over by committee president, H K Patil, was attended by former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, working president, Ishwar Khandre and other leaders.

Reports say that Congress party, which pins hope on the Mahaghatbandan at the national level to bring miraculous results, is finding it hard to arrive at a consensus on seat sharing formula with coalition partner, JD(S), in Karnataka. It cannot assert itself as it might affect the functioning of the state government.

Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao - File photo

Congress had bagged nine Lok Sabha seats last time as against two by the JD(S). Although all these nine MPs have been rightfully seeking tickets this time again, it is said that JD(S) which has a formidable work force in Old Mysuru region, is pressurizing Congress to part with two seats it holds now in its favour out of five held by Congress in this region. Congress high command cannot take unilateral decision without the approval of its coalition partner in the state. At the same time, although JD(S) has its MPs in Mandya and Hassan, Congress is eyeing at least one of these seats.

In Old Mysuru region, both JD(S) and Congress have strong footing. BJP does not have any eminence in these constituencies. In comparison, BJP has stronghold in north Karnataka, coastal belt, malnad and central Karnataka regions. Congress is a force to reckon with in these constituencies, with JD(S) having no base. Congress has been going through a sense of fear of losing its base because of the compulsion to strike seat sharing understanding with the JD(S), it is said.

At the same time, Congress MPs, K H Muniyappa (Kolar), D K Suresh (Bengaluru rural), Prakash Hukkeri (Chikkody),B V Nayak (Raichur), Mallikarjun Kharge (Kalaburagi), B N Chandrappa (Chitradurga) and R Dhruvanarayana from Chamarajanagara appear to be certain to become Congress candidates again for this Lok Sabha election.