Bangalore (PTI): Amidst steady desertions by Congress and JD(S) MLAs to join the ruling BJP in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday exuded confidence of his party winning at least 22 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats, four more than in the 2004 polls.

Stoutly defending the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' to wean away legislators and state leaders from the Opposition camp, he said his confidence stemmed from the performance of his ten-month-old BJP ministry, the first-ever in the south.

In an interview to PTI in the run-up to polls, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the BJP would bag at least 22 seats on the development plank.

Rebutting the criticism of Congress and JD(S) that the BJP was encouraging defections through the 'Operation Lotus' under which a dozen MLAs from the two parties have joined the saffron party, he said, "they are coming to our party. We are only admitting them."

The Opposition raised an outcry against the BJP's "gameplan to wean away its legislators", asking voters to "punish the defectors" in last year's by-elections, but it did not cut ice as the ruling party won five of the eight seats with the Congress drawing a blank, though JD(S) saved its pride winning three.