BJP eyes 22 Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka

An upbeat BJP is aiming to win 22 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the general elections, due in April-May, said party's state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Thursday. "We want to win 22 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state and gift them to make Narendra Modi the country's Prime Minister again," said Yeddurappa at a party meeting here ahead of the general election.

The BJP had won 17 parliamentary seats from the southern state in the 2014 general election, when the party stormed to power at the Centre with a majority (272 seats) for the first time after three decades. "Modi will visit Karnataka to address a party convention at Hubballi in the state's northwest region on February 10," Yeddyurappa told the party's state leaders and cadres to galvanise them for the electoral battle.

Though Modi is also scheduled to visit the state again on February 19, the venue where he would address the party convention has not been finalised. "Party's national president Amit Shah is also visiting the state on February 14 and February 21, although the cities where he would address the party members are yet to be decided," said Yeddyurappa.