Yeddyurappa predicts defeat of senior Congress leaders in Karnataka in LS polls

Bengaluru: State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday predicted the defeat of top leaders of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance, including former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, senior Congress leaders Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lok Sabha polls.

Signalling possible political instability in the state after the Lok Sabha poll results, the former Chief Minister said differences between Congress and JD(S) wouldincrease after the results are out on May 23.

"I have been saying this with confidence that we will win more than 300 seats across the country this time.

InKarnataka, we will win at least 22 (out of 28) Lok Sabha seats. I'm saying this with confidence," Yeddyurappa said.

Addressing party MLAs, MPs and leaders meeting in the backdrop of bypolls to Chincholi and Kundgol assemblyseats on May 19, he said "the atmosphere is in our favour to an extent that Veerappa Moily has already lost against our candidate; in Kolar also K H Muniyappa will lose against our candidate Muniswamy."

"According to our calculations, Mallikarjun Kharge will lose against our candidate 100 per cent, and in Tumkur the situation is that you will not be surprised if Deve Gowda is defeated.

This is what we are hearing, I'm not saying this forthe media or to satisfy you, this is based on information we have gathered," he added.

While JD(S) patriarch Gowda is pitted against BJP's Basavaraj in Tumkur, Congress leader and former chief Minister Moily is fighting a tough battle against BJP's Bachche Gowda in Chikkaballapur.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge is fighting Umesh Jadhav of BJP in Gulbarga, and in Kolarformer Union Minister K H Muniyappa of Congress is pittedagainst Muniswamy of the saffron party.

Claiming that stalwarts of the Congress-JD(S)coalition wouldface defeat in this election, Yeddyurappa said the internal rift between the partners has once againstarted, and after the poll results are out thesituation would worsen.

"In such a situation, by-elections for Chincholi and Kundgol have also come, which we will have to win hundred per cent," he said, adding that names of candidates have been recommended to the party high command and would be finalised and announced by tomorrow.

The outcome of the by-polls, along with the Lok Sabha results, is crucial for the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance as it would have a bearing on the longevity of the coalition government, triggering the numbers game in the assembly.

The by-poll to Chincholi was necessitated as Umesh Jadhavquit as Congress MLA and joined BJP to contest the Lok Sabha pollsfrom Gulbarga, while Kundgol seat fell vacant following thedeath of MLA and Minister C S Shivalli.