BJP won't cross 65-seat mark in Assembly polls, tally may even come down to 40: DK Shivakumar

Vartha Bharati | 09-03-2023 | 00:00:00 IST

Bengaluru, Mar 8: A day after claiming that surveys indicated that the Congress is projected to win over 140 out of the total 224 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, its state President D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said BJP's numbers would not cross beyond 65, and may even come down to 40 seats.

He claimed that people from all walks of life across the state were angry against this BJP government.

''We have a guarantee about our numbers, we also have a guarantee that BJP's numbers will not go beyond 65. What the BJP is doing or saying is their internal matter, Yediyurappa has said something (about winning over 140 seats) based on their calculation, I don't want to interfere with their party,'' Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, let the BJP do whatever they want, but their numbers won't cross beyond 60-65.

''This is definite, but according to me it will not be surprising if their number comes down to 40, like they had got 40 seats (in 2013 Assembly polls), after the first term of the BJP government in the state (from 2008-13). So, it will not be surprising if the '40 per cent commission BJP government' comes down to 40 seats, people are that angry, you ask whomever you want, anywhere,'' he added.

The KPCC chief on Tuesday had claimed that while its earlier survey had projected Congress' seat tally at 136, the recent survey predicted a tally of over 140 seats.

In the 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 104 seats in the 224 member Assembly, emerging as the single largest party, while Congress and JD(S)' tally stood at 80 and 37 respectively. However, BJP's tally increased in the later days giving it a majority in the Assembly, as several Congress and JD(S) MLAs defected to join the saffron party.

To a question on Congress' screening committee meeting as part of the party's process to select candidates, Shivakumar said, ''today too there is a meeting, we have reached a stage, completing almost 75 per cent of the process, today we will complete it fully, after this it will be sent to the national level (AICC).'' ''We will do the process (to choose candidates) and intimate those concerned,'' he said, when asked whether the process was getting too long.

Shivakumar also called Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ''Sullina Saradaara'' (lord of lies) , as he hit out at the latter for terming Congress 200 units of free power promise as ''bogus'', stating that the CM himself was making false promises to people or not keeping up the promises made earlier.

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NZ batter Martin Guptill retires from international cricket

08-01-2025 ¦ 08-01-2025 IST

New Zealand batter Martin Guptill | PC: @ICC/X

Auckland, Jan 8: New Zealand batter Martin Guptill on Wednesday announced his retirement from international cricket, though the 38-year-old will continue to play in the T20 leagues around the world.

Currently, Guptill, who last played for New Zealand in 2022, is leading the Auckland Aces in this season's Super Smash.

"As a young kid it was always my dream to play for New Zealand and I feel incredibly lucky and proud to have played 367 games for my country," Guptill said in a statement issued by the New Zealand Cricket.

"I will forever cherish the memories made wearing the silver fern alongside a great group of guys," he added.

Guptill has played 47 Tests but the white ball format was his calling card. He scored 7346 runs from 198 matches with 18 hundreds and 39 fifties.

The right-hander also appeared in 122 T20I for the Blackcaps, making 3531 runs with two hundreds and 20 fifties.

Guptill is the first Kiwi player to score a hundred on ODI debut and he also became the first New Zealander to score an ODI double-century during the ICC World Cup 2015 when he smashed 237 in the quarter-final win over the West Indies at Wellington.

New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham said Guptill was a true match winner.

"Firstly, I'd just like to congratulate Gup on a fantastic international career. I was fortunate to open the batting with him over many years and I often felt I had the best seat in the house to watch him go about his work.

"On his day Gup was world-class and his crisp ball striking and timing could take down the best bowling attacks in the world.

"His numbers speak for themselves, but it was the matches he helped us win that I'll remember, along with the way he set the standard in the field," said Latham.

Among the most memorable moment for him as a fielder was his stunning direct hit run-out of Mahendra Singh Dhoni during New Zealand's semifinal win over India at the 2019 World Cup in England.