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Belligerent BJP traps Karadi Sanganna in Operation Lotus net

JD(S) MLA from Koppal, Karadi Sanganna submitted his resignation just after casting his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in the prowl again. Even as voting was on for the Rajya Sabha by-poll, the ruling party launched its third round of Operation Lotus by netting Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Karadi Sanganna as part of its strategy to further weaken the opposition strength in the assembly.

JD(S) MLA from Koppal, Karadi Sanganna submitted his resignation just after casting his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. According to sources, five more JD(S) MLAs, including Subhash Guttedar (Alanda), SK Basavarajan (Chitradurga) and Nadagowda Venkatarao (Sindhanur), would follow suit to join the ruling party. “They are likely to submit their resignations within two days,” said sources.

Sanganna was not available for comment on his sudden decision. He has been reportedly assured liberal funds for development works in his constituency and a ministerial berth on his re-election to the assembly.

The issue of Operation Lotus reverberated in the legislative assembly, soon after Sanganna’s resignation. JD(S) MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda sought clarification from the speaker on rumours that some MLAs had tendered their resignation. Venting his disapproval, opposition leader Siddaraimah said that Operation Lotus was in action. Opposition MLAs termed the BJP’s tactics as shameful.

Refusing to comment on the issue, state BJP head KS Eshwarappa said, “I don’t know who has resigned and who is joining the BJP.”

JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy said, “I will not stop those who are lured by money as we cannot stop such persons. I knew it before, and I am not surprised.”

The ruling party sits pretty in the assembly with its number being 106, including the speaker and independent MLA Varthur Prakash, who is supporting the BJP government. The BJP, in its attempt to teach a strong lesson to the JD(S), which is continuously making an effort to destabilise the ruling party, has decided to reduce the opposition strength.

With Sanganna’s resignation, the strength of JD(S) in the assembly has come down to 26. If the party strength reaches below 22, which is one-tenth of the house, then it will automatically lose its opposition party status and would be deprived of party office in Vidhana Soudha, the centre of power.

“After 2008 assembly elections, the BJP launched the first phase of its Operation Lotus to turn a minority government, dependent on independents, to attain majority by netting nine opposition MLAs and made them to resign. With that, we gained strength from 111 to 120. But when the party was facing numbers crisis last October due to rebellion inside the party, we made some more opposition MLAs resign. But this time, we don’t know the exact need for launching one more operation,” said one of the senior party functionary.

He said the present Operation Lotus would definitely recoil on the BJP. Already, the party’s image has been tarnished. Now with this, it will take further beating. This is not good development in a democratic set up, said the BJP leader.

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