Days after the Lok Sabha election dates were declared, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa said that if the party manages to win 22 seats in the state, he will form the government within 24 hours.

Addressing a public rally, Yeddyurappa bragged, “I am not telling you this is out of audacity. If the people of Karnataka give us 22 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections, we will form the government in Karnataka within 24 hours”.

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“20 lawmakers from Congress have not accepted HD Kumaraswamy as their chief minister,” he added.

Karnataka is currently ruled by the JDS-Congress coalition with JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy as the chief minister.

Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister soon after the Karnataka elections last year in May. However, he was forced to resign as the BJP was short of the majority mark of 111 in the state assembly.

The JDS and Congress tied up to form government.

JD(S) and Congress MPs have accused the BJP of trying to “blackmail” their MLAs by offering them Rs 30-40 crore to resign in a bid to topple the coalition government and said they have “all proof” to support their allegation.

In the 225-member House, including one nominated, the Congress currently has 80 members, its ruling ally Janata Dal-Secular 37, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party 104, one independent, and one each from the BSP and regional outfit KPJP.

Earlier last month, Yeddyurappa had said that the IAF strikes on terror camps in Pakistan has created a wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will help the party win over 22 of 28 seats in the state in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Read | IAF airstrikes will help BJP win 22 of 28 LS seats in Karnataka: BS Yeddyurappa

The state BJP chief’s remarks came a day after India carried out “non-military pre-emptive” airstrikes targeting the JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC), reportedly killing a “very large number” of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

However, the BJP chief backtracked from his statement saying there was no question of seeking electoral gains and the nation came first to him.

The ruling alliance Congress and JD(S), who have decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls together have begun discussions about seat sharing. Sharing of seats is expected to be a litmus test for both parties with JD(S) demanding for 10-12 seats, while Congress has maintained that seat sharing will be based on merit.

Voting for the Lok Sabha elections will be held across India in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The result will be declared on May 23.