Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Feb 24: The decision on issuing tickets to candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be decided post meetings with top leaders from JD(S) and Congress, said KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Speaking to media on Sunday, February 24, Rao said both JD(S) and Congress candidates cannot be asked to stop aspiring for tickets. “JD(S) may try in areas where Congress has won and similarly Congress could aim for constituencies were JD(S) has won. However, the final decision will be taken by leaders from both parties and Congress-JD(S) seats will be distributed in three to four days," he said.

Responding to a query on seat distribution in Mandya, Rao confirmed that Sumalatha Ambarish has shown interest to contest elections as a Congress candidate. “There are JD(S) sitting MPs in Mandya and Hassan and there are also Congress MPs who have won in 10 constituencies. The final call should be taken depending on the candidate selected to contest,” he said.

With regard to JDS - Congress coalition in upcoming elections, Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "A first phase meeting regarding coalition in upcoming elections will be held in the presence of Revanna, Vishwanath from JD(S) along with G Parameshwara from Congress. We will take a decision with an aim that JD(S) and Congress should dominate in the upcoming elections. As per high command's decision, seats will be distributed.”

Reacting to statements of Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa that State government will collapse after Lok Sabha elections, Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "From last 8 months B S Yeddyurappa is continuously giving deadlines of 24 hours, one week, 10 days. It shows that he does not have any work. If he has any kind of ethics then he should resign. It is clear in the audio tape that he offered Rs 10 crore. What kind of leadership is this, where he tries to lure MLAs with money? Amit Shah should sack Yeddyurappa from his post. I don’t think even Amit Shah has ethics. They are destroying our country. In case if any Congress leader was caught doing such offers then Rahul Gandhi would have sacked the Congress leader from the party.”