Bengaluru: BJP state president, B.S. Yeddyurappa has reportedly not won any brownie points with his party's leadership in Delhi for allegedly once again attempting to bring down the coalition government in Karnataka.
The BJP high command is said to be very upset with his "irresponsible" decision to talk to the son of a JD(S) MLA to lure him into the party, particularly as the issue of the audio tape that allegedly exposes his latest Operation Lotus has made national headlines with the Congress raising it in the Lok Sabha and holding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president, Amit Shah, responsible for it.
An embarrassed Mr Shah is learnt to have asked for a report from the party's in-charge of Karnataka on the issue and Mr Yeddyurappa has been asked to temporarily put off his toppling game and concentrate on the coming crucial Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, state BJP leaders are said to be puzzled at what made their party chief discuss details of Operation Lotus with Mr Sharangouda Kandakur, son of a JD(S) MLA from Gurmitkal, while trying to convince him to persuade his father to resign and join his party. The alleged meeting, which took place at an inspection bungalow in an unknown place, boomeranged on Mr Yeddyurappa as Mr Sharangouda reportedly kept his mobile phone switched on to let Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy not only hear the conversation, but also record it to expose the BJP.
This is not the first time that Mr Yeddyurappa has been caught on the wrong foot. Some years ago he was forced to resign as Chief Minister after a trust owned by him allegedly received a kickback of Rs 25 crore from a mining company in cheque. His party colleagues believe his latest escapade may have well cost him another stint as CM should the party come to power in Karnataka again.
