BS Yeddyurappa takes U-turn, tries to explain ‘22 Lok Sabha seat’ remark amid outrage

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa amid criticism over his ‘22 Lok Sabha seats’ remark took a U-turn and said he was quoted "out of context" that India's air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan on Tuesday have created a wave in favour of PM Narendra Modi. He said following this BJP will win over 22 of 28 seats in the state in the national election due by May.

"The atmosphere....day-by-day the wind is increasingly blowing in favour of the BJP. Yesterday's action of destroying terror hideouts by entering inside Pakistan has resulted in a pro-Modi wave in the country, the results of which can be seen in coming Lok Sabha polls," Mr Yeddyurappa said on Wednesday in Chitradurga.

"Just now we got news that a Pakistani jet which tried to enter our border has been chased back. Pakistan has been taught a lesson, after 40 years PM Modi has done it. PM said we'd reply to every drop of blood of our soldiers and he has shown that today. Youth are celebrating; all this will help us in winning more than 22 Lok Sabha seats (in Karnataka)," said the former chief minister. The BJP has 16 parliamentary seats in Karnataka, the Congress 10 and Janata Dal-Secular, two seats.

"My statement is being reported out of context. I said that 'situation favourable for BJP' which I am saying for the last couple of months. This is not the first time that I said BJP in Karnataka will win minimum 22 seats under the able leadership of Modi Ji," he tweeted, in try to blunt the attacks, however, it didn’t help.

Karnataka Chief Minister KD Kumaraswamy, reacting to Yeddyurappa's comments, tweeted: "There is no question of using it for elections. Sushma Swaraj had called for an all-party meeting and explained there. Rajnath Singh also had called a meet and everyone including Rahul Gandhi welcomed it," Mr Yedyyurappa told reporters in Yadagiri.