BJP 'offered ₹50 crore' to Congress MLAs, claims Siddaramaiah
What's the story
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to carry out an 'Operation Lotus.'
In an interview with India Today TV, Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP had offered ₹50 crore to Congress MLAs in an attempt to persuade them to switch their political allegiance.
These allegations were made in response to the BJP's assertions that his Congress-led administration would collapse if it lost the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.
Confidence
Siddaramaiah confident in party loyalty amid allegations
"They have been trying to break my government for the past year. Rs 50 crore was offered to our MLAs. They tried and failed," Siddaramaiah said.
He also dismissed any speculation about a potential government collapse following the elections.
"Not possible. Our MLAs will not leave. Not a single MLA will leave our party," he firmly stated during the interview.
Prediction
We will retain the same vote share: Siddaramaiah
Siddaramaiah also said that while the opposition bloc—the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)—may not win an outright majority, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would also fail to form a government.
He predicted that a "government minus BJP" would form at the Centre due to an "undercurrent" in the country "against" the BJP.
When asked about Congress's poll prospects in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said the situation was favorable. "We will retain...same vote share as in the last assembly elections," he said.
Karnataka election
Karnataka election schedule
Voting for 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7.
The first phase will see 14 seats in South Karnataka go to the polls, including Bengaluru North, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Central, Bengaluru South, and coastal regions.
The remaining 14 constituencies will vote in the second phase on May 7.
The BJP swept the elections in 2019, capturing 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress secured one seat.