'Operation Kamala' 2.0 in Karnataka: Union Minister behind efforts to bring down Congress-JDS government, claim sources

The government needs 113 to stay in power and with the resignations of 14 MLAs, the government will be reduced to a minority 117 -14 = 103. 
Dissident MLAs from JDS and Congress leave after meeting with Karnataka Governor Vajuibhai Vala in Bengaluru. (Photo | B Pandarinath, EPS)
Dissident MLAs from JDS and Congress leave after meeting with Karnataka Governor Vajuibhai Vala in Bengaluru. (Photo | B Pandarinath, EPS)

BANGALORE: A top source in the BJP camp said a sitting union cabinet minister who served earlier in the BJP national party is closely observing the efforts at bringing down the coalition government and is aware of what is going on here. 

'He is being fed all details by the minute and is closely watching the developments,' added the source.  

Sources said two loyalists of opposition leader and state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa had coordinated the logistical details, be it organizing the morning meeting at UB City and later coordinating their movement to Vidhana Soudha separately so as not to arouse suspicions. 

One source said this had been planned days in advance and the timing was fixed well in advance.

The idea was to ensure that the present coalition government is reduced to a minority by way of resignations. 

The government needs 113 and with the resignations of 14 MLAs, the government will be reduced to a minority 117 -14 = 103. 

The sources said all the planning was done meticulously. 

While planning on the phone was avoided for fear of being observed, dummy numbers were used to avoid detection and code words also came into play to ensure that their conversations are not understood even if tapped.     

The MLAs were taken to the airport in a bus and from there to the Mumbai via flight for another round of 'Operation Kamala'.

Days ahead of the monsoon session, 14 disgruntled MLAs from the Congress and the JDS submitted their resignations to the Legislative Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar on Saturday. 

Some of the MLAs are AH Vishwanath, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Somashekar, Pratap Gouda Patil, Gopaliah, BC Patil, Mahesh Kumtahallli, Narayana Gowda, Byrati Basavaraj, Shivram Hebbar and Ramalinga Reddy.

"Eleven MLAs have given resignation to my office. I will come to the office on Tuesday. I did not send them back. According to the law, we work. Sunday is off and Monday I won't be in Bangalore. Tuesday I will be there and I will look into the issue," Ramesh Kumar said.

Former JDS state president and one of the MLAs who resigned, AH Vishwanath spoke to reporters after exiting Raj Bhavan.

He said, "The government made a mistake in selecting candidates and making them ministers. All of us here are seniors and there is no operation lotus. We have resigned on our own without any pressure. We are against the government's attitude. They have ignored us. The coordination committee is only for namesake. They are not taking consideration of both the parties."

Congress MLAs Ramalinga Reddy, Pratap Gowda Patil, BC Patil, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Shivaram Hebbar, Mahesh Kumtahalli and JDS MLAs Gopalaiah, H Vishwanath and Narayan Gowda were seen outside the speaker's office, after having given their resignations. 

"I have nothing against the party or our central leadership but I have time and again said there has been discrimination in the party. I am disgruntled and I am going to submit my resignation," said Ramalinga Reddy, MLA BTM. 

The senior Congress leader had been miffed over not being accommodated in the coalition cabinet while his contemporaries like RV Deshpande and KJ George were given places. 

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