BJP will not ‘destabilise’ Congress-JDS govt: BSY

Bengaluru: The Leader of Opposition in the assembly distanced himself from senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Umesh Katti’s claim that 15 disgruntled MLAs from the ruling coalition were in touch with him and that the saffron party would form the new government in Karnataka by next week.

Ruling out any attempts by his party to destabilise the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said Thursday his party would take “appropriate decision” if there was political instability. The Leader of Opposition in the assembly distanced himself from senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Umesh Katti’s claim that 15 disgruntled MLAs from the ruling coalition were in touch with him and that the saffron party would form the new government in Karnataka by next week.

“Neither me, nor our leaders have said we will carry out operation lotus (BJP’s election symbol). Umesh Katti’s statement is not right,” the former chief minister said. “I want to say… let’s think about what to be done when Congress-JD(S) government falls because of internal squabble,” he said. Operation Lotus refers to the controversial exercise carried out by the BJP during Yeddyurappa’s tenure as chief minister when opposition MLAs were made to resign and join the BJP before getting elected again on the saffron party ticket.

Speaking to reporters in Vijayapura, the senior BJP leader said, “We will not indulge in luring Congress-JD(S) legislators, we don’t require it also.” Noting that people, as well as the party, were watching political developments, Yeddyurappa said, “When the situation arises and there is political instability, we will sit and decide.” “Everyone is watching the political developments. We are also watching. We are not ‘sanyasis’. We will take an appropriate decision at the appropriate time,” he said. “No Congress or JD(S) MLA has contacted us, nor have we attempted it,” he added.

Yeddyurappa also alleged that due to internal squabble within the ruling coalition about cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation, development of the state was getting hampered. The Congress too rubbished claims Thursday that the coalition government in Karnataka would collapse due to internal rift, with party leader Siddaramaiah asserting that the Congress-JD (S) coalition was strong and they would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together.

The leader of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition coordination committee also ruled out any differences between him and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara over portfolio allocation to newly inducted ministers.