Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra hinted at internal discord within the ruling Congress in Karnataka when he stated that 20 to 25 MLAs, including ministers from Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's cabinet, are ready to join the BJP.
“If the elections are announced tomorrow, 25 Congress MLAs will join the BJP. That too, ministers. Such is the atmosphere in Congress that even the party has lost faith in D K Shivakumar,” Vijendra said, adding that the BJP wasn’t luring anyone.
This comes amid reports of a rift between some Congress legislators and Ministers over Cabinet expansion, fund allocation and alleged interference in constituencies. There are also reports that D K Shivakumar has a difference of opinion with the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad, posing a challenge to the ruling party in the state.
Vijayendra also took a dig at the Chief Minister, stating that there “has been a discussion that some people have done sting operations to become ministers and some to become CMs.” Vijayendra was referring to the statement made by Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi that a private agency from North India tried to trap Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the ministers in a sting operation.
"Someone from North India came and tried to carry out a sting operation on D.K. Shivakumar himself. Shivakumar himself had given a precautionary instruction to all the ministers in the cabinet meeting, saying, 'Since such an attempt has been made on me, you all should be careful,'" Satish Jarkiholi said.
Vijayendra said this proved that Karnataka politics has stooped, and time will reveal the details.
D K Shivakumar responds
When asked about Vijayendra's statement that many Congress MLAs were eager to join the BJP, the Chief Minister retorted: “If our party's MLAs and leaders want to join the BJP, Vijayendra should not delay. He should immediately invite them to his side and strengthen his party."
When asked if he would accept the 12 MLAs who voted cross-voting into the Congress party, he said, "That was a secret ballot. We don't want that now."
