Operation Lotus is for real, 3 Cong MLAs ‘camping in Mumbai hotel’

Bengaluru, January 14

A Karnataka Minister on Monday alleged that the BJP was trying to poach Congress legislators.

"Three of our MLAs are in Mumbai. We (Congress) are aware of the horse trading that is being attempted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Our legislators have also admitted to being approached by the BJP," Minister for Irrigation D.K. Shivakumar told the media here.

The BJP was trying to "destabilise" the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S)-Congress coalition government by poaching the legislators, he alleged.

Shivakumar, however, did not name the MLAs who were reportedly approached by the BJP.

The Congress leader spoke to the media ahead of a meeting held by the party's senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

The ruling coalition partner JD-S leader and Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, however, asserted that the government continues to remain stable.

"All the legislators are in touch with us and we are certain of the stability of the coalition government," Kumaraswamy told the media.

The BJP flayed the coalition government for blaming the BJP to hide its failures.

"Daily activity of Kumaraswamy government...Cry Operation Kamala (referring to alleged poaching by the BJP), hide failure to run government by blaming BJP. Fight among themselves for power," the party's state unit tweeted.

In the 225-member Assembly, the Congress has 80 MLAs including the Speaker, the JD-S 37 and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 104. IANS