Bengaluru: Ruling out any possibility of BJP MLAs switching over to Congress after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results, as claimed by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, the saffron party's state chief BS 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. Your's 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 on Monday had claimed 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.
Speaking about the differences in the ruling coalition, Yeddyurappa said people are fed up with the constant war of words between Congress and JD(S).
Alleging that the alliance partners have "back stabbed" each other by working for the other party's defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, he said JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath's outburst against coordination committee Chief Siddaramaiah should be seen as statements of that party's supremo H D Deve Gowda or Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and not his own.
Vishwanath had on May 10 raised questions about Siddaramaiah's performance as Chief Minister in the previous government and termed the growing clamour for him as the CM again within Congress as 'chamchagiri' (flattery).
"The differences and fighting between both the parties will intensify after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results," Yeddyurappa said, as he predicted implications of the election's outcome on the political scenario of the state.
Hitting out at the Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Minister Priyank Kharge for their comments against the Prime Minister, Yeddyurappa said "let them first win the Chincholi assembly seat (Kharge's stronghold) that is going for the bypolls on May 19."
Mallikarjun Kharge had on Sunday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hang himself at Vijay Chowk in Delhi if his prediction of the main opposition party getting less than 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls is proven wrong.
"Also, let Mallikarjun Kharge win (Gulbarga Lok Sabha seat), let his Minister son make his father win and prove himself before speaking," Yeddyurappa said.
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