Bengaluru: We will win 22 Lok Sabha seats, coalition govt will fall – B S Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru: Expressing confidence that his party would emerge victorious in 22 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said the JD (S)-Congress coalition would come apart immediately after the general elections as differences between these two parties would reach the zenith.

During an interaction with the media, he said “In my opinion, compared to 2014, we will gain 14-15 per cent more votes this time. As soon as we win 22 seats the differences between Congress and JD(S) will reach its peak. They will fight against each other, and there is feeling among many that in such a situation the government will not survive, " he added.

The former chief minister vowed to work for the growth of the party irrespective of the fact whether he would be rewarded or neglected like veterans including LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sumitra Mahajan. "I'm a responsible karyakarta of a national party. Whatever party leadership decides, I will abide by it. I have worked for the party as a common karyakarta for the last 40 years, without any position for the most part of it....in the days to come whether any position is given or not, I will continue to work for party," he added.

On senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa's statement that the party would not field candidates from minority communities as voters of these communities do not support the BJP, Mr Yeddyurappa said "We are not confident of fielding and ensuring victory of a Muslim candidate as of today." However, he added the BJP considers Hindus, Christians and Muslims as children of one mother.

He said among people, he could sense anger against the coalition government and affection towards the BJP. "If we win 22 seats, infighting between them (the Congress and the JDS) will increase. What stand the disgruntled Congress legislators take will determine the change in the government. We can only wait and watch. There is no question of any operation (lotus)," he added.

Mr Yeddyurappa said he visited most of the Lok Sabha constituencies and found that compared to 2014 Lok Sabha polls, "in 2019, the liking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased. Across the country, we will win more than 300 Lok Sabha seats," he added.

On the BJP’s decision not to field a candidate in Mandya, Mr Yeddyurappa said Mrs Sumalatha Ambareesh, contesting as an independent, asked for support. "So without fielding a candidate, we have given unconditional support. We have not pressured her to join the BJP, our only intention is that she should win, and she will win," he said.

On denial of ticket to Mrs Tejaswini, widow of former Union minister Ananth Kumar, Mr Yeddyurappa said the state unit had sent only her name for Bangalore South seat, but top central leaders picked Mr Tejasvi Surya, a youth wing leader. "We are confident that he will win with a margin of over 2 lakh votes,” he added.