H D Kote Congress MLA Anil Chikkamadu on Sunday accused BJP leaders of trying to lure him as part of ‘Operation Lotus,’ in an effort to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
In a press conference here, Anil said former minister C P Yogeeshwar had met him several times and tried to convince him to join BJP.
The MLA said, “In a telephonic conversation, Yogeshwar had told me to tender resignation to the post of MLA. He promised that BJP will bear the byelection expenses and provide me other benefits.” He claimed that he had the audio clip of the conversation.
Asserting that he would never join BJP, Anil said when JD(S) denied him ticket in the previous Assembly election, it was the Congress which gave him an opportunity to contest the election.
“Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, MP R Dhruvanarayan and former MLA H P Manjunath identified me and fielded me on a Congress ticket,” he said.
Dhruvanarayan said, “BJP leaders have given the tender to Yogeeshwar to lure Congress and JD(S) MLAs in south Karnataka.”
He demanded that BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should initiate action against the state BJP leaders in this regard.
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