RSS says BJP won't win even 200 seats in LS polls: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge

Citing an internal survey of the RSS, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday (April 6) claimed the BJP will not win even 200 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls and won't cross even eight seats in the state.

Alluding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement alleging delay on the part of the state government in submission of a proposal to the Centre seeking drought relief, Karge accused Shah of "lying" and said he should have been the "Minister of misinformation".

"RSS' internal survey says they (BJP) won't get even 200 seats. RSS is saying it. In the state, they won't cross even eight seats. How will they win, in fourteen to fifteen seats there is internal fighting (in BJP)," Kharge claimed.

Dissent in Karnataka BJP

Speaking to reporters Bengaluru, he said several senior BJP leaders are even speaking about the need to cleanse the party.

"They (some BJP leaders) are saying that the BJP (in the state) is polluted because of one family. They are saying they want to reinstall the original BJP. Are we (Congress) saying it? No, they (BJP) are saying it. They are also claiming that injustice is happening to Hindutva leaders in BJP like Basangouda Patil Yatnal, CT Ravi, Ananthkumar Hegde, Eshwarappa. They are fighting themselves, Congress did not create it," he added.

BJP is aiming to win 370 seats in the country and more than 400 for NDA as a whole in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In the state, the BJP is targeting to win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats.

Accusing Amit Shah of lying regarding drought relief to Karnataka, Kharge said he should have been the "Minister of misinformation".

Why is Amit Shah lying?

"Is the Chief Minister's meeting with the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and the Finance Minister (seeking relief) a lie? Is the IMCT (inter-ministerial central team) coming and doing a survey here and submitting a report a lie? Is the National Disaster Management Authority holding a meeting thereafter, and praising Karnataka's drought management efforts in writing, a lie? What is this? Why is Amit Shah lying so much?" he asked.

Addressing party workers and leaders in Bengaluru on Tuesday (April 2), Shah had said there is drought in Karnataka, and the state government was late by three months in sending a proposal to the Central government and "today the application for drought relief from the Centre is with the Election Commission". "They (Congress government) are doing politics over it now."

Kharge demanded answers from state BJP chief BY Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka about the injustice happening to Karnataka from the central government.

"Please tell whether the state government has given the proposal or not? October 31 was the deadline, but we gave September 23. How can he (Shah) lie?" he asked.