Secular votes may split with Cong, JDS contesting separately

Senior Congress leader M Mallikarjuna Kharge today said "secular votes" would be split in some Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka with his party and JDS contesting on their own, benefiting the BJP.

"In some places, it may happen (split in secular votes)," Kharge said in response to questions at a meet-the-press programme organised by Bangalore Reporters' Guild and Press Club of Bangalore.

But he added that voters would cast ballot in favour of a party (among "secular" parties) which is in a good position to form Government at the Centre and protect their interests.

Kharge has the unique distinction of winning the Assembly elections from 1972 and is a nine-time MLA. This time, the party has fielded him for Lok Sabha polls from Gulbarga.

Kharge, a former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and presently serving as Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, denied that he was made a Lok Sabha candidate against his wishes.

"I am going willingly. Otherwise, I would not have put signature on my nomination papers," he said but made it clear that he still nursed the ambition of becoming Chief Minister one day.