'Operation Lotus' in Karnataka to begin soon, warns BJP's KS Eshwarappa, gives THIS deadline to Congress

Senior BJP leader and former minister KS Eshwarappa has claimed that there would be no Congress government in Karnataka after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, India Today reported on Sunday. The former deputy chief minister said that BJP would start 'Operation Lotus' in the state soon and there will be no Congress left before or after the Lok Sabha polls. 

'Operation Lotus' is a term often used by the opposition to refer to BJP's alleged political strategy to engineer the defection of opposition legislators to return to the government. However, the BJP denies this saying the opposition governments fall due to inherent contradictions and dissatisfaction among its own MLAs.  

Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga on Saturday, Eshwarappa said, "The Congress is making big claims. They are saying that half of the BJP MLAs will join their party. But not a single MLA has switched over to the Congress as yet. There will be no Congress left in the state before or after the next general elections."

"I can give a 100 per cent guarantee that there will be another 'Operation Lotus' in Karnataka. The Congress has no future in the country," the senior BJP leader claimed. The former minister further added that 17 Congress MLAs approached the BJP, claiming a lack of "internal cohesion" in the party. 

Eshwarappa then challenged the Congress to entice at least one MLA from the BJP, setting a one-month ultimatum. "Wait and watch, your [Congress] own MLAs don't have hope on you, Congress has no future in this country," he said.
 
The BJP leader went on to explain that KH Muniyappa, the state minister for Food and Civil Supplies, was heard suggesting two months ago at a Congress meeting in Bengaluru that all elders or senior members in the state should resign from the party because new members should be given a chance every two years.

In assembly election, Congress secured 135 seats, making it their biggest win by seats and vote share in Karnataka since the 1989 elections. BJP won 66 seats in the state.

Hitting out at the RJD's chief Lalu Prasad's remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP leader said, "Lalu Prasad Yadav says I must see Modi step down (as PM) before I die. I pray to the Almighty to give him a long life." "Just as one can't belie the existence of Surya and Chandra (Sun and Moon), no one can deny that PM Modi will return to the country's highest post again. INDIA cannot unite the country as they can't even pick a PM face by choice," Eshwarappa added.

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