Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has claimed here on Saturday that Congress party would win at least 22 seats in the State during upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

While extending party membership to several BJP leaders including Vinod Shukl, the brother of former minister Rajendra Shukl, the Chief Minister claimed no survey was needed to ascertain the number of seats the BJP is expected to win nationally.

Start from States like UP, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and others, and count the number of seats the BJP is expected to lose as compared to its 2014 tally and you would get a fair idea about its performance this time.

“The BJP won’t get more than 160 seats this time,” Nath announced. On how many seats the Congress was getting this time in MP, he claimed the party is hopeful of winning at least 22 seats. To add, Congress had won two seats in MP in 2014. Based on assembly poll votes, the Congress is said to be ahead of 12 seats while the BJP could win 17.

Regarding announcement of candidates, Nath claimed the screening committee and Central Election Committee would meet in next few days and most names would be made public in three to four days.

The veteran leader ridiculed BJP’s indecision of announcing candidate for Bhopal saying the party should now issue advertisement for candidates.

The Congress straightaway had announced name of Digvijay Singh as nominee from Bhopal

while the BJP is yet to find a suitable opponent for him despite having cleared 11 names so far for 29 seats.

Nath also mocked at proposed chowkidar campaign of the BJP saying the entire world was looking towards India ahead of polls and the PM says he was a chowkidar.

 “Was he a chowkidar of farmers, the youth, of women or just toilets.”