BS Yediyurappa is the father of Operation Kamala, says Siddaramiah

Siddaramaih took a swipe at BS Yediyurappa saying that making false claims like having won a majority of the Gram Panchayats does not reflect well on a Chief Minister.

Even as chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday said that the ruling BJP had performed creditably by winning a majority of the Gram Panchayats in Karnataka the state, senior Congressman and leader of opposition in the state assembly Siddaramiah accused him of mounting an operation to lure opposition members.

Siddaramaiah said the BJP was using its money power to lure winning candidates whom the Congress had backed in the Gram Panchayat polls. (https://twitter.com/siddaramaiah)

Polls were held for 5728 Gram Panchayats with voting taking place in two phases on December 22 and 27. A total of 91,339 members were declared elected on Thursday.

“The BJP has been improving its performance both at the state and national level. In the Gram Panchayat polls, BJP supported candidates won more than 60 per cent of the seats. Of the 5728 GPs, BJP-backed candidates have won a majority in more than 3,800 of them. This was possible due to our national leadership and the collective leadership at the local level,” Yediyurappa said.

The CM pointed out that apart from winning 12 of the 15 assembly seats in the bye-elections last year, the BJP had won both assembly seats where bypolls were held this year. “We have been improving our performance consistently,” he said.

However, Siddaramiah refuted the claim of BJP that it has won a majority of the GPs.

“Yediyurappa is the father of ‘Operation Kamala’ (lotus). Using their money power they are trying to lure our party supported candidates who won in the GP polls. Making false claims like having won a majority of the GPs does not reflect well on a CM,” Siddaramiah said.

In Congress lexicon, Operation Kamala is allegedly the BJP’s covert way of trying to get the MLAs to leave opposition parties, particularly a ruling coalition.

Political analyst Manjunath pointed out that since GP polls were fought on a party-less basis it was easy for all parties to claim victory.

“In a number of seats it looked like a neck to neck fight between the BJP and Congress with the saffron party marginally ahead. JDS is a distant third. However, being in power means that BJP enjoys a natural advantage in trying to attract supporters of other parties and independents to install their choice to head the Gram Panchayats.”