Reverse Op. Lotus? 20 BJP MLAs Cong-bound

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT
Bengaluru, Nov. 6

If state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar is to be believed, a reverse ‘Operation Lotus’ to ensnare members of the ruling BJP will get into full swing before the 2023 Assembly polls with more than 20 BJP MLAs and MLCs ready to jump ship and join the Congress.

According to Shivakumar, these legislators have been told to wait for some time and then join the Congress. “Already, C.P. Yogeshwar, who was instrumental in the anointment of B.S.Yediyurappa as CM for a fourth time, seems to have written the (Congress) examination, and is waiting for the results,” he said. “In fact many of them wanted to become Congress members much before the Hangal and Sindagi by-elections but have been asked to wait”, the PCC chief said.

He was however not prepared to disclose the names of the others knocking on the doors of the Congress. “People will be surprised to know about those waiting to join our party. Those who had once opposed Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are returning to the Congress,’’ he remarked.