Bengaluru: It's back to resort politics for the ruling Congress party, facing dissidence in its ranks with four of its MLAs skipping the legislature party meet called on Friday, giving a jolt to the party leadership.
As reports emerged that five more - who were present as part of the 76 Congress legislator contingent - could allegedly be on the BJP's radar, leading to a further depletion of its ranks to a precarious 108, a seemingly unnerved Congress Legislature Party(CLP) leader Siddaramaiah declared that his party was shifting its MLAs to a resort to escape the BJP and blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president, Amit Shah for the volatile political situation in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters here after the crucial CLP meeting, Mr Siddaramaiah claimed Mr Modi and Mr Shah were involved in destabilising the coalition government as they fear the BJP will be reduced to winning just three or four seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls of the total 28.
The former CM also alleged that the BJP was offering fabulous amounts ranging from Rs 50 crore to 100 crore to get MLAs on its side "How is the chowkidar's party running? Mr Narendra Modi calls himself chowkidar, where is the chowkidar getting the money from?" he questioned angrily.
"I will give you evidence. They have spoken to our MLAs like Anil Chikkamadu, Shivalli, Shivram Hebbar and Ramappa, among others," he said adding that they were being lured with money and ministerial posts.
Declaring that all Congress MLAs stood united, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "We will discuss the drought situation, chalk out strategies for the Lok Sabha poll and a discuss budgetary allocations and programmes which need to be taken up this year. All our MLAs, MPs and ministers will stay together at one place. We will stay together as long as it is necessary," he explained in response to a question.
Accusing the BJP of being involved in a conspiracy to destabilise the government, Mr Sddaramaiah quipped that the saffron party had already been snubbed two or three times but was still resorting to anti- democratic means.
“Mr Yeddyurappa says they have gone to Delhi to discuss parliament polls. What are 104 MLAs doing in a seven-star hotel at Gurugram?" he sneered. The BJP wants to destabilise the government here as Karnataka is the only state in the south where they have a presence, said Siddaramiah adding that the party would not be able to win any seats in other states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. "As there is a coalition government here, they know we (Congress and JD(S)) will go together and pose a threat to their poll prospects," he added. The meeting was also attended by senior Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal and deputy chief minister Dr G. Parameshwara, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundurao and other state leaders.
