From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 20: Even as State BJP President and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has been confidently asserting that his party will more than 22 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the State, senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa has declared that the party will contest all the 28 seats in the State.

Eshwarappa claimed that the party will win 25 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka as against the 17 it had bagged in 2014.

Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday, he said the party has decided to put up candidate in all the 28 in Karnataka and has ruled out supporting Sumalatha Ambarish, who is contesting as an independent, against the Congress-JD(S) coalition decision of fielding Chief Minister H D Kumarasway’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

Eshwarappa, who is also the State BJP core committee member, said the party would put up candidates in all constituencies including Mandya.

Answering questions from reporters, he said the question of supporting independent candidate Sumalatha Ambarish would not arise as the party itself would put up candidate in the segment.

BJP leaders from Karnataka had detailed discussion with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah in Delhi Tuesday.

Eshwarapa was also part of the deliberations and the impression he had got was that the party would field candidates in all seats.

Asked why the announcement of party candidates was being delayed, he said it was for "strategic reasons."
He said the party’s central election committee would announce the list in a day or two.

Referring the pro-Modi slogans in Rahul Gandhi’s meeting at Manyatha Tech Park on Monday, senior BJP leader said they were not party workers but IT professionals sympathising with the party.

The Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka tried to silence them using police force, which is condemnable he said and asked “is it wrong to raise pro-Modi slogans?”

"There has been groundswell all over the country in favour of Narendra Modi and people especially youths themselves are fighting the elections on behalf of him. The party would win minimum 25 seats in Karnataka," he asserted.

BJP has inducted former Minister and Congress leader from Hassan, A Manju into party and is fielding him in Hassan constituency, Eshwarappa said.

There may be dissatisfaction here and there but disciplined party workers would abide by the collective decision of the party, he said.

On the Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s possible contesting in one of the segments from the State, Eshwarappa quipped “forget him, let his grandma Indiraji come from the heaven, the people of Karnataka wouldn’t be swayed away."

"The existential question brought JD(S) and Congress come together but BJP would trounce this opportunistic alliance. When the people of the country is with Narendra Modi, no one can stop him from becoming Prime Minister again," he asserted.