Few Congress leaders creating hurdles for JD(S) candidates ahead of Lok Sabha polls: HD Kumaraswamy

Amid signs of rift, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on March 24 said that a few leaders of coalition partner Congress are creating hurdles for candidates of his party JD(S) ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let Janata Dal (Secular) workers do the same. The country is important for me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JD(S) workers and I won't do the same for 20 seats allocated to Congress in alliance with us," Kumaraswamy told media persons at Mandya.

Earlier on March 24, Kumaraswamy had slammed Congress Lok Sabha member SP Muddahanumegowda for "unnecessarily" creating disturbance in the state ahead of the polls.

Speaking to ANI, Kumaraswamy had said, "We all are fighting unitedly but a few people are unnecessarily creating a disturbance for their personal gains."

"It is Congress' responsibility to sort out its own issues," he had said.

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On March 23, JD(S) confirmed that former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda will contest from Tumkur, one of eight Lok Sabha seats conceded to JD(S) as a part of the seat-sharing arrangement with Congress in Karnataka.

His comments came a day after Muddahanumegowda announced that he will file his nomination as the Congress candidate from the Tumkur seat.

Of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Congress will contest 20 seats and JD(S) eight.

On March 19, Kumaraswamy had said Congress and JD(S) will be fighting together to prevent BJP from making strides in the state.

Karnataka will go to polls during the second and third phases of the seven-stage elections on April 18 and April 23, respectively. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had won 17 seats in Karnataka while Congress bagged nine seats and JD(S) two.

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