The BJP can take power in Karnataka “within 24 hours” if it wins 22 seats in the state in the April-May national election, the party’s state chief BS Yeddyurappa has said.
The BJP currently has 16 of Karnataka’s 28 parliamentary seats. The state’s ruling alliance partners Janata Dal Secular and the Congress have two and 9 seats.
“I am not telling you this is out of audacity. If the people of Karnataka give us 22 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections, we will form the government in Karnataka within 24 hours,” Mr Yeddyurappa bragged at a public meeting on Sunday.
“20 lawmakers from Congress have not accepted HD Kumaraswamy as their chief minister,” he added.
The former chief minister has often been in the headlines over his pronouncements while campaigning for next month’s national election.
Last month, Mr Yeddyurappa had controversially said that the Indian Air Force’s air striketargeting a terror training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26 would help the BJP win 22 seats in Karnataka.
“The recent act of armed forces attacking Pakistan has turned the tide in Narendra Modi’s favour as the youth is happy after the attack. It will help us win 22 seats in Karnataka,” he had told reporters in Chitradurga on February 28.
Later, he backtracked and said there was “no question of drawing political mileage” out of the air strike and that his statement had been taken out of context.
Mr Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister soon after the Karnataka elections last year in May. He was forced to resign as the BJP was short of the majority mark of 111 in the state assembly.
The JDS and Congress tied up to form government.2
Over the past few months, both sides have accused each other of trying to get lawmakers to switch sides. The ruling combine has been fighting to keep its flock together amid reports of “missing” or disgruntled Congress
Agencies
