Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting “Operation Lotus” in the state to topple his government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
In an interview to India Today TV, Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP offered ₹50 crore to Congress MLAs to switch sides. BJP has claimed that the Congress government in the state would collapse if the party performs poorly in the upcoming polls.
“They have been trying to break my government for the past year. ₹50 crore was offered to our MLAs. They tried and failed,” Siddaramaiah told India Today TV.
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Siddaramaiah dismissed the possibility of his Congress-led government falling after the elections, saying firmly, “Not possible. Our MLAs will not leave. Not a single MLA will leave our party.” He affirmed that his government would complete its full five-year term.
Siddaramaiah assumed office as chief minister on May 20, 2023, following the Congress’s decisive win, dislodging the BJP from power.
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Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD(S) formed an alliance to contest against the BJP but suffered a significant defeat. The BJP secured a record 25 seats, while the Congress and JD(S) managed to win only one seat each. Just a year before, the Congress and the JD(S) had formed the government in Karnataka after the assembly elections after the BJP failed to get majority despite emerging as the single largest party.
A month after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress-JD(S) alliance government fell and BJP came to power.
The upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will take place in seven phases, commencing on April 19, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.
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