Bengaluru: The ruling Congress party has suddenly developed cold feet after spiriting away a section of Independents and small party MLAs to Mumbai ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls on June 11 to prevent poaching by the opposition BJP and JD(S).
Sources said the media blitzkrieg against 'resort politics' indulged in by the Congress has rattled party leaders who are now seriously contemplating bringing back the MLAs in Mumbai to Bengaluru in a day or two.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader in New Delhi disclosed that central leaders had directed CM, Siddaramaiah to call off his much talked about Operation Airlift to prevent further embarrassment to the Congress.
“Mr Siddaramaiah had worked relentlessly to get the top brass to field a third candidate. Party seniors now feel they should not have given the nod for this as the CM has failed to execute his plan properly."
The source added that central leaders have sent a strong message to the CM asking him to halt Operation Airlift and bring back his supporters to Bengaluru.
"Mr Siddaramaiah has reportedly directed his lieutenants in Mumbai - S.T. Somashekhar, Muniratna Naidu, and Byrathy Basavaraju- to call off the operation as soon as possible," the source said adding that the party was not too worried about the possibility of the Election Commission countermanding the Rajya Sabha poll in Karnataka.
