Bengaluru, March 14 : Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the Congress will win over 20 Lok Sabha seats (out of total 28) in the state in the upcoming general elections.

Replying to reporters' queries in Kalaburagi about the Congress' chances in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he said: "The Congress will win more than 20 seats. The BJP is changing its candidates in over 10 constituencies because their MPs have not done any work."

Speaking on the water crisis in Bengaluru, the Deputy Karnataka CM said: "Our government is taking all necessary steps to provide drinking water. Over 7,000 bore wells have dried up, resulting in water shortage. We have identified solutions to these problems, and we are acting on them."

Asked about the release of Bhima river water from Maharashtra to address the water shortage, Shivakumar said: "Our government has already written a letter to them. Telangana is also asking for water, but there is very little water left here. The states will have to work together to resolve these issues."

He further said that the guarantee schemes are meant for the livelihood of the people and not for the elections.

He said: "There is no bigger satisfaction for a party or a government than keeping promises made to the people. These schemes are meant for the people and not meant for any elections. These schemes are meant to ease the burden of price rises and inflation.

"The people of the country have liked our guarantee schemes. We have decided to formulate guarantee implementation schemes at various levels to ensure effective implementation of these schemes. Our government has allocated Rs 1.26 lakh crore in the total budget size of Rs 3.74 lakh crore for developmental works," he added.

/IANS