Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed on Friday that the Congress–Janata Dal (Secular) alliance would win more than 20 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the coming elections.
While interacting with the media at an event that saw the former BSR Congress MLA for Molakalmur Thippeswamy joining the Congress, Mr. Rao said, “The Congress and the JD(S) alliance will win more than 20 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and show the power of secular parties”.
Molakalmur is in Chitradurga district which is represented by B.N. Chandrappa of the Congress is the Lok Sabha.
With Mr. Thippeswamy’s induction into the party, the Congress candidate would win the Chitradurga constituency with a much higher margin this time, Mr. Rao claimed. Mr. Thippeswamy contested as an Independent in 2018 Assembly elections and secured 40,000 votes.
According to Mr, Rao, there are good prospects for the Congress–JD(S) alliance this time, with its decision to go for the polls together. The party’s performance was affected in the Assembly elections in the region owing to various reasons, but local leaders were now united, Mr. Rao said. “Mr. Thippeswamy has worked at the grass-roots level and has a greater connect with the people because of his good work in Molakalmur. His decision to join our party is going to help us win Chitradurga constituency with ease,” the KPCC chief said.
Sources in the Congress said leaders of the governing coalition are scheduled to discuss seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls at the coalition’s coordination committee meeting on March 4.