Karnataka: BJP's 'operation lotus' fails; party accused of offering Rs 60 cr bribe to JDS MLA

Shivalinge Gowda said “Jagdish Shetter offered Rs 60 crore to one of JDS MLAs and also assured a ministerial post; but our leader informed the same to Kumaraswmy and declined the offer. He told Kumaraswamy that “I will not be a part of BJP, even if they offer me Rs500 crores.”

Bengaluru: BJP’s Operation Lotus seems to be losing its grip after Congress and JDS MLAs have returned back to Karnataka. Earlier, trouble was hovering over Kumaraswamy after 2 independent candidates withdrew support from the party. Reports also suggested that 13 Congress, JDS candidates are likely to split from the government, both the ruling government was successful in getting them back in the party. After ‘Operation Lotus’ failed, JDS has levied serious allegations on BJP. MLA Shivalinge Gowda accused former CM BJP MLA Jagdish Shetter of “bribing”. He has claimed that BJP MLA offered a bribe of Rs 60 crore. Shivalinge Gowda said “Jagdish Shetter offered Rs 60 crore to one of JDS MLAs and also assured a ministerial post; but our leader informed the same to Kumaraswmy and declined the offer. He told Kumaraswamy that “I will not be a part of BJP, even if they offer me Rs500 crores.” What is Karnataka’s statistics? Kumaraswamy government is safe even after 2 independent candidates took back their support. Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats, and for a majority one needs 113 MLAs. Even after 2 independent candidates withdrew their support, Congress-JDS government has 118 MLAs, whereas BJP has only 104.