No conflict in Cong-JD(S) coalition, will file nomination tomorrow: Gowda

Bengaluru: JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda on Sunday said he will file his nomination from the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat, where sitting Congress MP SP Muddahanumegowda is also staking claim after the constituency was conceded to JD(S).

“I will file the nomination papers tomorrow. There is no conflict. G Parameshwara (Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader) is sitting in Tumkur, calling all members and trying to settle the issue. There's no problem between Congress and JD(S),” Deve Gowda told ANI.

While Congress will contest 20 out the 28 seats Lok Sabha in Karnataka, its coalition partner JD(S) in the state will put up candidates in 8 seats.

“Muddahanumegowda was also one of the persons who was groomed by Parameshwara and by the party after he joined Congress five years back. The matter will be solved. There is no conflict between Congress and JD(S). We are going to the battle unitedly,” he said.

Muddahanumegowda had said on Saturday that he will file his nomination as the Congress candidate from the Tumkur seat, one of the eight Lok Sabha seats conceded to JD(S) as part of the alliance with Congress.

"Elected representatives and all local leaders want me to contest. That is why on Monday, (March 25) we will start a procession from BGS circle to DC office and I will file nomination with the support of all our leaders as the Congress candidate for Tumkur," Muddahanumegowda had said.

Earlier, JD (S) spokesperson Ramesh Babu had announced that Deve Gowda will contest from the Tumkur constituency as the combined candidate of JD (S) and Congress.

Karnataka will go to polls during the second and third phases of the Lok Sabha elections on April 18 and April 23, respectively. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.