Gowda urges Rahul to cool 'resentment' of Cong MLAs on seat

Former Prime Minister and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda Friday requested Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to cool the reported resentment of some partyMLAs over the coalition government's seat-sharing arrangment to avoid politicalacrimony ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Gowda also said that he had not made up his mind on contesting from North Bengaluru.

"I am totally satisfied with the seat-sharingarrangement between our party and the Congress. We haddemanded 10 seats, but got eight, considering that Congressis a major party.

All said and done, I do not want to create any political tension between our parties. Itold Rahul Gandhi to move ahead with whatever seat-sharingarrangments we have arrived at.

There is hardly any time leftfor us. Our main aim is to defeat BJP," he told PTI in atelephonic interview from Arunachal Pradesh.

The coalition partners on Wednesday had announced that the JDS would contest from eight Lok Sabha constituencies and Congress from remaining 20 constituencies in Karnataka.

The announcement has reportedly sparked resentment among some Congress leaders, who have demanded cancellation of the seat sharing arrangement on the grounds it was impractical and detrimental to the coalition's electoral prospects.

Gowda said the coalition partners would overcome these 'minor hiccups' on or before the March 19 coordination committee meeting andhoped workers of both parties would realise BJP is their main opponent.

The March 19 meeting would be attended by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Coordination CommitteeChairman Siddaramaiah, KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao andDeputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, he said.

The meeting would try to find solutions to minor problems, including the resentment in Congress aspirants and later chalkout dates and places of public rallies,Gowda said.

Asked if he was keen on contesting from NorthBengaluru, Gowda said "I have honestly not made up my mind.

Last night Dinesh Gundu Rao requested me to fight from North Bengaluru and promised all help in the election.