Three days to go for one of the most keenly watched elections in Karnataka, and BJP’s Chief Ministerial hopeful, BS Yeddyurappa, said he is confident of forming the government with an absolute majority in the state.
In an interview to TNM, Yeddyurappa not only said that he will take oath as the Chief Minister in a matter of days – he also insisted that his rival, and incumbent Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, will lose in both constituencies where he is contesting.
When asked if he was being sidelined by the national leaders in the BJP, Yeddyurappa told TNM, "Siddaramaiah has no business talking about this, considering he himself has problems with other leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Parameshwara."
“They're not cooperating with him. Are they travelling together? They are not cooperating with him. They're going to defeat him in Chamundeshwari and Badami,” Yeddyurappa said.
“Congress only will ensure his defeat in these two constituencies, as in the last election, Siddaramaiah ensured Parameshwara's defeat,” Yeddyurappa alleged.
The BJP leader further hit out at Siddaramaiah for ‘disrespecting’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking a dig at the Chief Minister for his comment that the BJP was bringing in ‘North Indian imports’ to campaigning in Karnataka, Yeddyurappa said, “Sonia Gandhi is not his mother-in-law, Rahul Gandhi is not his father-in-law. Aren't they outsiders?”
“The kind of development works that the Prime Minister has taken up in Railways and Infrastructure – he has done so much work compared to the history of independent India. The whole world is praising his administrative acumen. The entire world is taken by Modi,” Yeddyurappa said.
“When such a person comes to our state, instead of respecting him, if he (Siddaramaiah) says that he is going to put a defamation case, and do so many other things, it's a desperate attempt,” he added.
Yeddyurappa further said he was ready to take up Siddaramaiah’s challenge for an open debate ahead of the elections. “Tomorrow is the last day of the campaign. I'm ready to sit down with him and discuss any matter at any time. I'm also ready to debate our election manifesto and how far he has kept his promises,” Yeddyurappa said.
Claiming confidence in the BJP winning an absolute majority in the state, the former Chief Minister said, “I have toured K'taka thrice and I know the pulse of the people. I will take oath as the Chief Minister on May 17.”
Asked about the JD(S), Yeddyurappa said, “There is no question of an alliance with JD(S), and it will never arise.”