Bengaluru: Has the JD(S)-Congress coalition decided to mount a counter-offensive against the BJP's ‘Operation Lotus' by luring BJP leaders to its fold by offering them Cabinet berths and positions on boards and corporations?
While the BJP appears to be having second thoughts having failed to receive any clear instructions on Operation Lotus from the party high command, insiders said it could happen after the swearing-in of the Union government.
Sources said the BJP may try to bring down the government and go in for a mid-term poll by November.
To pre-empt this, the JD(S)-Congress coalition, whose strength has fallen to 117 in the state assembly, are reportedly trying to woo back the two independents, who have deserted them and are working to increase their number to at least 127 by poaching around 10 BJP MLAs.
On Monday, reports were rife that around nine ministers from both the Congress and JD(S) would be asked to resign and 10 new faces inducted into the cabinet. The ministers, whose heads were said to be on the block were D.K. Shivakumar, Krishna Byregowda, Priyank Kharge, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Jayamala and R B Thimmapur from the Congress and Sa Ra Mahesh, M C Managuli and S R Srinivas from the JD(S).
However, KPCC president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, who met JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda on Monday denied that the two had discussed a cabinet reshuffle, and merely said Mr Gowda had raised specific issues, which he would discuss with his party leaders.
After the meeting that lasted for over an hour, Rao told reporters that Deve Gowda had asked him to come home to discuss various issues. He, however, refused to divulge what transpired between the former prime minister and him. "I cannot disclose what discussion we had because he has said something outright about the two parties. "We will have to take certain decisions after discussing with the senior leaders in our party," Rao said. The Congress has convened a meeting of its legislature party on Wednesday to discuss the political developments in the southern state. – PTI
