The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is not working on ‘Operation Lotus’ to bring down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, State party president Chandrakant Patil said on Monday.
While the BJP believes the tripartite government is on a sticky wicket, the party will not work to bring down the government in an unconstitutional manner, he said. Mr. Patil was reacting to reports that the BJP may fashion a Karnataka-style ‘Operation Lotus’ to poach MLAs during the upcoming budget session of the Assembly and fashion a downfall of the MVA government.
“This government will fall on its own and the BJP will not attempt unconstitutional means to work behind the scenes on this. The people are aware these parties have formed the government despite not having the mandate. The voters will bring them down,” Mr. Patil said.
Earlier, the ruling alliance had alleged that the BJP was trying to poach some MLAs from the Congress and the Shiv Sena by using unconstitutional methods.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had threatened his former ally to desist from luring his party’s MLAs or pay a heavy price. “I challenge them (the BJP) to bring this government down,” he had said.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday announced that it will hold protests against the MVA government’s failure on February 25. The protests will be held in all districts and regions outside the local tehsildar’s office.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced the move at the party’s State meet in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. “This MVA government has worked against the interest of not only farmers, but slum dwellers, women and other sections of society. We will not bring down this government. But I challenge this MVA government to fight elections against the BJP. We will defeat them with a big margin,” Mr. Fadnavis had said.