Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa. (File)‘Resort politics’ was back in Karnataka as both the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition and the BJP traded charges against each other of poaching their MLAs even as Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said his government was not under threat from the saffron party.
What further fuelled speculation was reports that BJP was holding up its 104 MLAs in the national capital and might be shifted to a resort in Gurgaon to avoid poaching by the Congress.
However, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa clarified that BJP MLAs were in New Delhi to discuss the strategy for Lok Sabha polls and the party was not indulging in any “resort politics”. “Despite having a majority, the Congress-JD(S) combine is trying to lure our MLAs and indulging in horse-trading, BJP is not doing it,” PTI quoted Yeddyurappa as saying.
“There is no need for us to do any resort politics. A few of them (BJP MLAs) will be in Delhi, a few are going to Gurgaon, they will go and come back,” he added.
The fresh horsetrading saga in the state erupted after Karnataka Water Resource minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ to topple the state’s coalition government was on and alleged that three Congress MLAs were camping at a hotel in Mumbai in the “company of some BJP leaders”.
Shivakumar had also accused Kumaraswamy of being “lenient” towards the BJP. However, the CM rubbished the Congress leader’s claims on Monday morning, saying, “All three of them (MLAs) are continuously in contact with me. They went to Mumbai after informing me. My government isn’t under threat.”
Despite the mudslinging, speculation is rife that six to eight Congress MLAs are ready to jump ship to the BJP side. Trying to deflect the charge, Yeddyurappa said the ruling coalition was trying to create confusion.
“They are trying to lure our people with money and minister’s position. We have not done this to any Congress-JD(S) MLAs. Kumaraswamy is doing it,” he said.
Yeddyurappa said there was no basis to Shivakumar’s claims about Congress MLAs being kept in Mumbai. “There is not even an iota of truth in BJP taking some ruling coalition MLAs to Mumbai..only Congress-JD(S) know why their MLAs are stationed in Mumbai,” he said.
