“Matter not with me”: Ex-PM Deve Gowda on JD(S)-BJP seat sharing issue

New Delhi [India]: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) national president HD Deve Gowda on Friday said that the matter regarding the seat-sharing between JD(S) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not with him adding that party leader HD Kumaraswamy will discuss the issue.

“The matter is not with me. It is Kumaraswamy who is going to meet the Home Minister. He will discuss,” Deve Gowda said.

On the ongoing Cauvery water dispute, the former PM said, “I told you on the Floor of the House. Send five members who do not belong to Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. Let them go and study the conditions – the crop condition, storage. Chairman said ‘No’.”

Earlier, former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy termed as “personal reaction” remarks of BS Yediyurappa about Janata Dal (Secular) fighting about four seats in the Lok Sabha elections next year in alliance with BJP and said there has been no discussion so far between the two parties on seat sharing.

Kumaraswamy, however, said there have been alliance talks between the two parties and that “people need it because Congress is looting the state”.

“Yediyurappa’s yesterday reaction is his personal reaction. Until now, there has been no discussion on seat sharing or anything. We have met cordially two or three times. Later on, let us see what is going to happen,” Kumaraswamy told media.

Senior BJP leader Yediyurappa, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, had claimed on Friday that Janata Dal (Secular) had tied up with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and that the regional party will contest about four seats.

“I am happy that Deve Gowdaji met our Prime Minister and they have already finalized about 4 seats. I welcome them,” Yediyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru.