'No talks on seat-sharing yet': Kumaraswamy contradicts BJP's Yediyurappa on 4 seats to JD(S) in 2024 LS polls

A day after BJP's Yediyurappa claimed that JD(S) had agreed to join the NDA alliance and contest on four Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said discussions on seat-sharing were yet to take place but confirmed that both parties were coming together in the upcoming parliamentary elections due in early 2024.    

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said that the JD(S) and BJP would contest the Lok Sabha polls together in the southern state. He said: "Deve Gowda ji met our Prime Minister and they have already finalised about 4 seats. I welcome them."  

However, today, JD(S) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said Yediyurappa's remarks were his personal reaction. "Until now, there has been no discussion on seat sharing or anything. We have met cordially 2 or 3 times. Later on, let us see what is going to happen," he said while speaking to reporters.

The former chief minister, however, confirmed that JD(S) and BJP were coming together for the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. "We are coming together and having a discussion to go before the people. People need it because Congress is looting the state. People need alternatives. I joined hands with the BJP in 2006. My goodwill was created because of my 20 months of administration."

In the last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 27 of 28 seats while one seat went to Congress. According to reports, the JD(S) is asking for five seats while BJP is willing to give four seats. In the assembly elections held earlier this year, the BJP and JD(S) suffered a heavy decline in their seats compared to the last polls. The loss for JD(S) was huge as the vote percentage came down to 13 per cent from over 18 per cent in 2018.

The alliance between the BJP and JD(S) is also the need of the hour as the Congress has stitched an alliance of the opposition parties and aiming to win 20 seats this time in Karnataka.    

In July, Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah said even if the BJP and JD(S) came together, the grand old party would win at least 15-20 Lok Sabha seats in the southern state. "Doesn't matter whether they tie up or not," he said while responding to a question on talks between the BJP and JD(S).