The contentious issue of seat sharing for the coming Lok Sabha polls between the ruling Congress-JD(S) in Karnataka is likely to be discussed in the first week of February.
An indication to this effect was given by State Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday.
"Dates are getting fixed (to discuss seat sharing), we are in the process of confirming....We are discussing with everyone (leaders) for their availability...Mostly in February first week a date will be fixed," he told reporters here.
In the 2014 polls, BJP had won 17 seats in the state, the Congress nine and the JD(S), two seats. Rao said the four MLAs who did not attend the recent Congress Legislature Party meeting would be summoned to appear in person to give an explanation about their absence
He warned party workers against crossing the 'Lakshman rekha' as he asked asked them to remain withing the framework of the coalition and not make any public statements against the government.
Coalition coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah had said on January 24 that preliminary discussions on seat sharing have been held and a meeting would be held in three or four days to decide on the constituencies. JD(S) has already expressed its desire to contest 12 seats, over which the Congress has some reservations, as it has maintained that seat sharing would be based on 'merit'.
Seat sharing is expected to be a litmus test for both parties, mostly in the old Mysuru region constituencies, where JD(S) has emerged as a dominant force in the recent past and Congress has nine sitting MPs. Several senior Congress leaders and MPs, including Veerappa Moily, have reportedly asked the leadership not to cede nine seats where the party has its sitting MPs, to JD(S).
Referring to the four MLAs who skipped the CLP meeting,he said another notice would be issued to them to appear in person and give an explanation.
"Now they will have to come...They have not yet come to us, they have only written letters. So another notice will be issued...They will be asked to present themselves before the CLP and explain their absence.
I'm hoping that they turn up physically and give their reasons on why they were not able to attend CLP and other meetings, and discuss with us," he said.