'No situation will...": BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje reacts on exit polls, 'Operation Lotus'

New Delhi: There won't be a need for the so-called Operation Lotus in Karnataka, Union minister Shobha Karandlaje said on Thursday. She said the exit polls will prove to be inaccurate and BJP will achieve a simple majority with 120-125 seats.

The exit polls either gave an edge to the Congress or predicted a hung assembly. All the exit polls gave JDS enough seats for them to play kingmakers.

The Congress and JDS coined the term Operation Lotus years ago, referring to alleged attempts by the BJP to poach opposition MLAs.

She claimed that internal reports suggest the BJP will get a majority in the 224 strong house. 

On Operation Lotus, she said, "Absolutely not. Have faith. No situation will arise for any sort of 'Operation Lotus'. This time the people of the state will vote for the development of the state and will give a majority government." 

"According to the primary reports obtained from our booth-level workers, we are winning 120 to 125 seats," Karandlaje added. 

The BJP, which had emerged as the single largest party in 2018, had said it would win over 150 seats. However, the claims seem to be fizzling out even though the party is expected to perform really well in some regions of the state.

With inputs from PTI