BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh stated on Thursday that 40 to 45 Congress MLAs are in touch with him. “I can carry out the operation by tomorrow (Friday) if Delhi leaders give their consent. But, we don’t want it,” he said.
Speaking at a meeting organised at the BJP party office in Bengaluru, Santhosh stated that, “we don’t want it now. We are not making any attempt to form a government.”
He further stated that no leaders from BJP are joining Congress. “Suppose if 10 leaders quit our party, we can always bring one leader who is capable and equal to them. People claimed that the party would vanish in 2013, despite the internal fight we won 40 seats, this time we have won 60 seats. We have become more powerful as an opposition party,” he said.
He maintained that the selection of the president of the party and leader of the opposition was delayed. "I know things as an organising secretary. It is delayed. But it is going to be done. What is the necessity to discuss more over the delay? If there is a daughter who is not married and a son who is not working, will they be thrown out?"
Santhosh also stated that one need not worry about those who want to join the Congress party.
Former ministers Dr. K. Sudhakar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, B. Srirumulu, B.C. Patil, Govind Karjol, C.P. Yogeshwara and others attended the meeting.
Former ministers and BJP MLAs S.T. Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar, who are rumoured to join Congress party, skipped the meeting. M.P. Renukacharya, who is attacking BJP, also avoided the meeting. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai remained absent. Party sources stated that he is unwell.
The BJP leaders discussed strategy to organise and strengthen the party in the backdrop of Lok Sabha elections.
'Joke of the century': K'taka Cong on BL Santhosh's remarks of being in touch with Congress MLAs
After BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh said that 40 to 45 Congress MLAs are in touch with him and he can carry out Operation Lotus in one day, Karnataka Congress dubbed it as the ‘joke of the century’.
Congress said that many prominent BJP leaders and legislators remained absent for Santhosh’s meeting and it was organised only to counter and challenge the former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
“B.L. Santhosh is not able to establish contact with his own party MLAs. Now in such a situation, his claim of being in touch with Congress legislators is the joke of the century,” the Congress said.
Congress said that before spreading blatant lies, let Santhosh try to establish contact and win trust of his own party legislators.
Speaking at a meeting organised at the BJP party office in Bengaluru, Santhosh had said that he can carry out Operation Lotus (pulling the opposition MLAs and forming the government) in one day as Congress leaders are in touch with him.
However, he said, “We don’t want it now. We are not making any attempt to form the government.”
Santhosh had also said that no BJP leader is joining Congress. “Suppose if 10 leaders quit our party, we can always bring leaders who are capable and equal to them. People claim that the party would vanish in 2013 but despite the internal fights we won 40 seats. In 2023, we won 60 seats. We have become more powerful as an opposition party,” he had said.
Former BJP ministers K. Sudhakar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, B. Srirumulu, B.C. Patil, Govind Karjol, C.P. Yogeshwara and others attended the meeting.
However, former ministers and BJP MLAs S.T. Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar, who are rumoured to join Congress party, skipped the meeting. M.P. Renukacharya, who is attacking the BJP, also did not attend the meeting. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai also did not participate.
Read also| ‘India a Hindu Rashtra’: Sizeable citizens accept this fact, says Mohan Bhagwat
Read also| One nation, one election can make India Vishwaguru, says Himanta
