Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Jan 27: Will there be a last ditch attempt by the BJP to conduct 'Operation Lotus' during the joint session of the legislative council that is slated to be held in the month of February? The statements
given by former CM Siddaramaiah and current CM Kumaraswamy suspect the same.
In the BJP circles also there is hope that an opportunity may arise during the joint session or budget session, which probably would be the last one before the Lok Sabha elections. It is also heard that, though the state BJP is saying that they will visit the drought-hit areas and show the failure of the ruling coalition, they have not given up on their real inner intention of forming the government in the state.
BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa
It is learnt that the central BJP leadership is worried about the probability of Congress-JD(S) coalition winning more seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections, if they contest as an alliance. So the calculation of the BJP party is that, if they are able to bring down the ruling government, the chances of Congress and JD (S) fighting together in the coming Lok Sabha elections will be slim.
The probability of the resignation of six Congress MLAs, who have pro-BJP stance, during the joint session cannot be ruled out. If this really happens, then the strength of the coalition government will be down to 112 and the BJP can pressurize for a no-confidence motion citing that the coalition does not have the required numbers.
If the speaker does not accept the resignations of the MLAs, pressure can be put for the intervention of the governor. For the same reason it is believed that the BJP is still in touch with the dissident MLAs of the Congress party.
Former CM Siddaramaiah said, "It is true that the BJP is still conducting 'Operation Lotus'. The statement given in this regard by chief minister Kumaraswamy is true." He was speaking to the scribes at the KPCC office in the city.
"BJP is trying to woo our MLAs. But their attempt will not bear fruit. All their attempts have failed. BJP has amassed huge wealth. They are enticing our MLAs with this money," added Siddaramaiah.
Congress and JD (S) who are aware of the tricks of BJP have drafted a master plan to counter the attack of BJP. If BJP attempts to conduct 'Operation Lotus' once more, then a plan is hatched to pull four BJP MLAs to the coalition government and offer ministerial position to two of them. It is said that in the last coordination committee meeting of Congress and JD (S) that was held recently, Venugopal, AICC state in-charge has suggested that if the BJP attempts to pull our MLAs, then we should not keep quiet. On the contrary we can try to pull the BJP MLAs who are in good terms with us and those who were in Congress and JD (S) earlier.
Only time will tell whether one more desperate 'Operation Lotus' attempt of BJP will succeed or not.