KARNATAKA (AFP): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa has said that Indian airstrikes will help the party to win over 22 of 28 seats in the state in the national election that will be held in May.
The leader said that air strikes have created a pro-Modi wave in the country, the results of which can be seen in the elections.
Yeddyurappa said, “The atmosphere….day by day, the wind is increasingly blowing in favour of the BJP. Narendra Modi will be the prime minister for a second term with a full majority after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.”
Currently, BJP holds 16 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, while Congress has 10 and Janata Dal (Secular) two.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Congress Legislative Party chief Siddaramaiah called Yeddyurappa’s remarks disgusting and alleged him of making political gains over bodies of martyred soldiers.
“Hiding behind the bodies of martyred soldiers and trying to make political gains of it, shows Yeddyurappa’s greed. I strongly condemn this. The family members of our martyrs are still mourning for their loss and Yeddyurappa is already calculating how many seats the BJP will win. Disgusting,” Siddaramaiah said in a tweet.
The reaction came day after Pakistan Air Force (PAF) destroyed two Indian fighter jets in a response to Indian Line of Control (LoC) violation.
The wreckage of one aircraft fell in Central Kashmir’s Budgam while the other’s in Pakistan territory. Two of the pilots were also killed in the incident.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan Air Force engaged six targets from across the Line of Control in Occupied Kashmir.
He said that one Indian pilot identified as Abhinandan was also arrested.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have been escalated since a suicide attack in occupied Kashmir killed 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers.
The attack saw explosives packed inside a van rip through buses in a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying some 2,500 members of the paramilitary CRPF.
