Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Dec 4: Rumours about BJP leaders trying to conjure up Operation Lotus again in a bid to snatch power from the coalition partners are running thick and thin. An audio of the purported conversation between the personal assistant of MLA B Sriramulu with a Dubai-based entrepreneur on November 27 on the issue, is in circulation now.
The audio claims that ten to 12 MLAs are prepared to cross over to BJP, and that all of them have been promised cash amounting to Rs 20 to 25 crore and ministerial berths. To a question from one of the parties to the conversation about the identities of the MLAs, the other can be heard giving the names of Ramesh Jarkiholi, B C Patil, Nagendra, Bheema Naik, Anand Singh and some others. He also adds that these legislators are not prepared to speak on phone.
To protect themselves from such an eventuality, the coalition partners have drawn up an action plan to escape from Operation Lotus and in case of cabinet expansion, to keep the disgruntled flock together by cajoling them. It is said that a plan is also ready to appease Congress legislators, who feel that none of the projects they had envisaged in their respective constituencies are being executed by the coalition government.
The strategy was worked out after Siddaramaiah spoke to H D Deve Gowda. It is said that chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, will personally reveal about the plan at the legislative party meeting of the Congress being held on December 8. Sources said that Kumaraswamy would be instructing ministers and MLAs from JD(S) to confine themselves to the principles and policies newly drafted in this regard.
It i said that the plan also includes passing on directions to ministers who are considered aggressive, like H D Revanna, who reportedly do not give any weight to recommendations by Congress MLAs.
It is said that providing equal opportunities to both the parties in nominations in both legislative constituency level and district level including Agricultural Produce Market Committees is one of the points agreed. The plan also includes formation of coordination committees comprising KPCC president and JD(S) state president to avoid friction between activists of the two parties, and extending this principle to districts too.
The parties appear to have reached consensus on the need to fill vacant posts in corporations and boards even if the cabinet expansion is delayed.
Kumaraswamy exuded confidence that coalition government is solid and conspiracies by BJP are destined to doom.
Meanwhile, Sriramulu said he is not involved with Operation Kamala and that his personal assistant does not know how to speak in Hindi. He branded the rumours as the handiwork of people out to tarnish his image.
It is said that the strategy now worked includes principles like releasing more grants to constituencies represented by Congress legislators, giving prominence to recommendation by MLAs for transfer of officials like police inspectors and tahasildars, avoiding friction on the issue of transfer between the parties in PWD, revenue, urban development and police departments, deciding transfers through coordination with the involvement of chief minister and deputy chief minister, asking JD(S) ministers to give importance to recommendations made by Congress MLAs, and taking care to see that former MLAs and leaders of Congress do not get insulted in constituencies represented by J D(S) legislators.