Karnataka Congress has expedited 'Operation Hast' through which the party welcomes prominent leaders from the Opposition parties to join the ruling party in the state. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said 42 leaders are waiting to join Congress in the state. DK Shivakumar made the statement while addressing the meeting along with Ramappa Lamani, a prominent BJP leader from north Karnataka who joined the Congress party in Bengaluru.
According to IANS, Shivakumar said, "Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi have brought a long list of leaders from southern and northern Karnataka regions who want to join the Congress. I have the list but would not divulge the names."
He said that a team of BJP leaders were meeting Congress legislators and he was updated about the development. However, he said that he would not get into the details of the matter.
It is boosting the Congress both locally and nationally, he added.
After persuading the local leaders, the process of joining leaders from other parties is ongoing in Congress. The leaders who are opposed to the coalition of rival parties are joining the party.
Earlier, former Karnataka CM Bommai said that Operation Hast was carried out by Congress due to the failure in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
To the question on ‘Operation Hast’ of the Congress, Bommai said that CM Siddaramaiah’s government was fearful about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
On Thursday, BJP MP & former Karnataka CM in Bengaluru Sadananda Gowda said, "The national leaders (of BJP) have set the stage for an alliance with the JD(S) while keeping the state leaders away."
JD(S) Muslim leaders also quit party for forging an alliance with BJP.