Bengaluru: Ruling out any possibility of BJP MLA’s switching over to Congress after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results, as claimed by AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, the BJP’s state chief B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday dared him to spell out the number of seats the Congress party would win in Karnataka.
The former Chief Minister also stated that the rift between the ruling coalition partners in Karnataka would intensify after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared.
“What does Venugopal know about Karnataka? Which corner of Karnataka has he visited? I want to ask Venugopal how many seats you will win..tell me if you have the guts. Yours is a coalition government… tell us- you will win these many number of seats,” Yeddyurappa said.
Claiming that BJP would win a minimum of 22 out of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “I challenge him, let Venugopal say how many seats Congress will win, leave JD(S). Their (Congress) true colors will come out.”
In response to a question by reporters’ in Kalburgi about BJP legislators going to Congress, he said, “are they mad, why will BJP people go?”
Venugopal had claimed on Monday that several BJP MLAs would join Congress after the Lok Sabha poll results as he dismissed speculation about the longevity of the coalition government in Karnataka.
Congress leader and Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khantoo on Sunday had said Yeddyurappa was “daydreaming” about coming to power and claimed that around 10 saffron party MLAs were in touch with his party.
