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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed confidence in the Congress party winning at least 20 out of 28 seats ahead of the second phase of polling in the state.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala in Belagavi on Sunday, the Karnataka CM asserted that the Congress government have fulfilled all the five guarantees that voted them to power in the state. Karnataka is voting in two phases for the 28 seats in the Lower House. Polling for 14 seats was held on April 26 and the remaining seats will vote on May 7 in the third phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. "As today evening campaigning will end, on May 7th there will be voting. On April 26th last phase election as per our information we'll win 8-9 seats. In this second phase, we'll win more than 10 seats as per our information by the workers. At least 20 seats we will win, we are confident because we have fulfilled all 5 promises that we announced. Without any middle man, guarantee cheques will reach every individual through me and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar," Siddaramaiah said. Further highlighting the Congress government's achievements in the past eight months since they came to power. "In the last eight months, we have implemented all promises. We swore to power on May 20. Many requests reached us during the campaigning before assembly polls for raising the quantity of rice given to 10 kg which the government under Yediyurappa had reduced from 7 kg to 5 kg. We fulfilled it, as we promised," he said. "We continue to uphold our congress guarantees. BJP leaders are making a fuss that the Congress guarantees should be stopped anyway," he added. Siddaramaiah also criticised the BJP for allegedly claiming to "change" the Constitution if voted to power in the Centre again. "BJP leaders are saying that, If they(BJP) come to power then they will change the constitution. They will change the constitution if BJP gets 400 seats in this Lok Sabha election. Mohan Bhagwat also asked to be patient that they will change the constitution. The BJP party has no respect for the Constitution. We can call this Lok Sabha election as the second independence," he said. Siddaramaiah further hit out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the GST compensation issue with the state. "Nirmala Sitharaman made false statements that desperately we went to the Supreme Court. When SC slammed them they announced 3600+ crores. What I request to voters of Karnataka is please, it's an opportunity to show them their way. Nirmala Sitharaman hasn't given anything to Karnataka in the last 10 years and is trying to divide society based on caste and religion. Change them and make sure Karnataka's people vote for us," he said. In 2019, BJP almost swept the state by winning 25 out of 28 seats, while Congress and JD(S) -- who were running a coalition government in the state -- could only win one seat each. This time BJP and JD-S are in coalition with the former fighting on 25 seats, while the latter is contesting three seats. (ANI)
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