Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday challenged the Congress to name its prime ministerial candidate and reveal the names of at least three to four constituencies in Karnataka where they will win in the Lok Sabha elections.
He also asserted that his party along with alliance partner JD(S) will be victorious in all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
Yediyurappa, member of BJP's Parliamentary Board and former Chief Minister, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the campaign for party candidate from Tumkur V Somanna.
"Everyone knows about the cordial bonding between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda. As BJP and JD(S) are in alliance, they (Congress) have realised the alliance will win every seat with a huge margin, so Congress leaders are saying whatever they want," he said.
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"My question to Congress is -- name your prime ministerial candidate, and secondly say the name of three to four constituencies where you will win. They are unable to reveal it so far. Defeat is certain for them. We (BJP-JD(S)) will win all the 28 seats," he added.
A total of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will go for polls in two phases. While 14 segments in the southern part of the state will vote on April 26, in the second phase covering remaining constituencies, mostly northern districts, will go for election on May seven.
Rejecting Congress' allegations that BJP on coming to power once again will change the Constitution, Yediyurappa termed it a "foolish statement."
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"No one can touch the Constitution written by Ambedkar. It is sacred and it needs to be saved and taken forward for future generations. Modi has also said the same thing. There is no value for such false propaganda," he said.
Responding to a Congress leader's claim that for BJP, Modi is the only PM face, but for Congress that has democracy within-- any one can become the PM, Yediyurappa sarcastically said, "let them do it, we will see."
Noting the situation in the state is "very good", Yediyurappa said, "we (BJP) are getting public support beyond our expectations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wave is everywhere...our expectation is to win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats (along with JD(S)) in the state and I'm confident that we will be successful in it."
In the Tumkur seat too, it is certain that Somanna will win and the question is about the victory margin, he said.
Asked about current MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently joined the BJP, not campaigning in favour of JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy in Mandya Lok Sabha segment where he is contesting, the senior party leader said she has said she will campaign if called. "She will go, there is no confusion."
