We are not a party of Lingayats: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party believes that it will be able to muster up the required numbers to form a government in Karnataka on its own.

Battleground Karnataka

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a press conference, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said that after touring various parts of the state, he feels confident that the party would sweep the polls.

On Janata Dal-Secular supremo H D Deve Gowda's comment that no government could be formed without the help of his party, Jaitley said that it was untrue.

"He is just shooting his mouth off," Jaitley added.

The voter was leaning towards the BJP, he said, adding that they would get a clear mandate.

On being branded as a party of Lingayats, Jaitley said in North Karnataka, other parties were trying to give his party this image.

"However, this is untrue and the distribution of tickets, especially in Bangalore, will prove that wrong. Most of our candidates are from the Vokkaliga and Reddy community and hence branding the BJP as a party of Lingayats is not correct," he added.

Jaitley said the party will fight the polls in Karnataka on four and half issues. The main thrust would be on inflation, Yeddyurappa's leadership, betrayal by the JD-S and terrorism. The issue of urban infrastructure would be half an issue, as it concerns only half the population of Karnataka, Jaitley added.