Buoyed by the good performance of BJP in Karnataka during the recent Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has given credit for his party's success to "Operation Lotus" -- poaching of important Congress and JD(S) leaders -- among other factors.
"Operation Lotus has definitely helped. Very important leaders joined our party from JD(S) and Congress at district and state level," Yeddyurappa said during an interaction at his residence.
He cited D B Chandre Gowda, who is now a BJP MP from Bangalore North. Gowda had vacated the Chikamagalur seat for Indira Gandhi in 1978 after she had lost the elections post-emergency in 1977.
Operation Lotus had drawn a lot of flak from Congress and JD(S) as BJP had poached several of their important leaders with promises of ministerial portfolios in the state government as well as Lok Sabha tickets.
The Chief Minister denied that this had caused discontent among BJP leaders who were denied tickets to accommodate the new incumbents.
Though happy with his government's performance in the last one year, Yeddyurappa is concerned about job losses and growing unemployment in his state due to recession. "Just a year back many wanted to set up industry in Karnataka, but not now," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Though happy with his government's performance in the last one year, Yeddyurappa is concerned about job losses and growing unemployment in his state due to recession. "Just a year back many wanted to set up industry in Karnataka, but not now," he said.
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