MLA accuses BJP of threatening 55 Congress legislators with raids by Central agencies to force them to switch sides

Amid the ongoing tussle over leadership in the State, MLA for Hungund Vijayanand Kashappanavar’s statement on the BJP attempting to coerce Congress legislators to quit the party has created fluter in political circles.

“The BJP has drawn a list of 55 Congress MLAs and is trying to coerce them to quit the party by threatening raids by ED (Directorate of Enforcement) and CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) over alleged illegal wealth. They (the BJP) have already sent their agents to communicate the threat. All legislators, including me, are fearing now,” he told reporters at Hungund on Sunday. Claiming that he was one of the legislators to be threatened, he said, “I do not care for such threats.” He pointed out that raids on legislators Bharath Reddy and B. Nagendra, and MP E. Tukaram to justify his claims.

“The BJP has never come to power in Karnataka on its own. It has always been poaching Opposition MLAs. It has used fear and favour to lure them. People have the right to know such things,” he said. To a query, he said he suspected that the BJP was planning another ‘operation lotus’ and was trying to get at least 55 MLAs to switch sides.

“The BJP is upset that we are not joining them by quitting the Congress. The ruling party at the Centre is vengeful. It is misusing the constitutional agencies for its political benefits. Unfortunately, the common people do not know this. They are being misled by the BJP,” he said.

‘No one will quit Congress’

Senior Congress leaders ridiculed such moves by the BJP. While Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa said no one would leave the Congress, Industries Minister M.B. Patil said Congress legislators were not “tamarind seeds” to be just purchased. “Two-thirds of the 140 legislators will mean 75 legislators. Are they so cheap? They are not tamarind seeds,” Mr. Patil said. Mr. Muniyappa said, “If ED raids have to happen, let them happen on all and not on a select few.”

Dismisses allegation

Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi dismissed the allegation of 55 legislators being targeted by the agencies as a diversionary tactic. Stating that all need not fear, the Minister said only those who have ill-gotten wealth would be targeted by the agencies.