BELAGAVI: Amid discussions over possible leadership change in the State Government and in the state Congress, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar has dropped a bombshell, claiming that the BJP high command has a target list of 55 Congress MLAs, and his name might be on it. Speaking in Hunagund, Bagalkot district, Kashappanavar said, “The BJP may have included me in its list of 55 Congress MLAs it is targeting.”
This statement was a counter to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s recent allegation that MLAs were being “bought” by the Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar factions.
Reacting sharply, Kashappanavar said, “I am not afraid of BJP’s threats. BJP has never come to power with a clear majority. They have always come to power through the backdoor or by forming coalition governments. The people know BJP cannot come to power independently.”
He accused the BJP of engaging in manipulative politics, saying, “BJP is trying to poach MLAs and form the government by hook or crook. They have prepared a list of 55 Congress MLAs, and are intimidating them using CBI and ED raids. If a Congress MLA switches to BJP, the agencies stop targeting them. That’s how the BJP operates.”
Kashappanavar also alleged that he and many of his colleagues are under threat of ED and CBI raids. “BJP has already sent their agents to intimidate us, saying they will expose us. But I am ready to face any kind of raid, be it by the ED, IT, or CBI,” he said.
He further said ED and IT raids have already been carried out at the residences of MLA Bharat Reddy, former minister B Nagendra, and MP E Tukaram.
“All these raids are politically motivated and part of BJP’s malicious strategy. If BJP really has the strength, let them win 220 seats and come to power with a clear mandate,” he challenged.