Haveri, Apr 2 (IANS): Commenting on the Karnataka Chief Minister’s statement that the BJP would not cross the 200 seat-mark in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, the BJP’s Gadag Lok Sabha candidate, Basavaraj Bommai, asked Siddaramaiah how many seats the Congress would win.

Campaigning in Haveri District on Tuesday, the former chief minister said that out of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress was contesting on just 200 seats across India.

He said that surveys had revealed that the BJP would win more than 400 seats due to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s leadership and Congress leaders were issuing such statements to mislead people.

Bommai alleged that a minister had asked people to slap those who raise pro-PM Modi slogans and now wherever that minister goes there has been an increase in pro-PM slogans.

He said that PM Modi's popularity increased whenever he was criticised.

“Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar described PM Modi as 'chaiwala' and the voters of the country made him the PM. Former Bihar CM, Lalu Prasad Yadav said PM Modi does not have a family but the whole nation stood as Modi’s pariwar”, he said.

The former CM alleged that Congress leaders were scared that their corruption would be exposed if Narendra Modi becomes the PM again and the Congress government in Karnataka would not survive if the BJP won all the 28 seats.

“That's why Siddaramaiah has been making such statements that his chair would be at stake if the Varuna constituency failed to give a lead to Sunil Bose, the Congress candidate,” said.

Bommai said there was a BJP wave in Hirekerur as-well-as confrontation politics.

“Former MLA, BC Patil has been a rebel leader and led a massive protest in Hirekerur during drought. At that time, the then Agriculture Minister, VS Koujalgi sent everyone to jail.

"I too have seen protests. The farmers were killed in police firing in Nargund and Navalgund Bandaya. After Patil came out of jail, he visited the houses of farmers and consoled them,” he said.