1. Pressure mounts on former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy to contest Lok Sabha polls
The pressure on former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to contest the Lok Sabha elections from a section of his colleagues in the Janata Dal (Secular) as well as the BJP seems to be increasing. The seat-sharing agreement between the two parties is likely to be announced by this weekend.
While party leaders are divided over the consequences in case of him entering the fray, the BJP central leadership is believed to be keen that he takes the plunge and arrive on the national stage. Earlier, party leaders had exerted pressure on Mr. Kumaraswamy to contest from Mandya. On March 5, at another meeting in which three BJP lawmakers were present, Mr. Kumaraswamy was requested to consider contesting from Bengaluru Rural constituency. There were also requests to consider Chikkaballapura.
