BJP-JDS finalise seat-sharing agreement for LS polls in K'taka

Bengaluru, Mar 23  The BJP and its regional ally JDS have finalised their seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.
According to the agreement, the JDS will contest the Kolar, Hassan, and Mandya Lok Sabha seats.
Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, the Karnataka state election incharge for the BJP, confirmed the pact, emphasising the BJP's support for the JDS in these constituencies. "Kolara, Hassan and Mandaya Lok Sabha seats are being given to JDS. We should support JDS," he said.
However, there seemed to be some discord within the alliance, as JDS Karnataka President HD Kumaraswamy previously stated that the party would field candidates in three constituencies, including Kolar, without waiting for final approval from the BJP leadership.
Kumaraswamy also asserted that JDS could win independently in Hassan and Mandya, its strongholds. Nonetheless, he recognised the potential benefits for the BJP in associating with the JDS, particularly in 18 seats where the regional party holds considerable sway.
Kumaraswamy suggested that even a modest swing of 3 to 4 percent of JDS votes towards the BJP could significantly bolster the alliance's overall performance.
The transfer of the Kolar seat from BJP to JDS marks a notable shift in the political landscape ahead of the elections.