Deve Gowda urges Centre to discourage 'Operation Kamal'

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Monday urged the Centre to shun 'Operation Kamal' being conducted allegedly at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to topple the ruling JD(S)-Congress government in Karnataka.

"In 2009, in Karnataka, first-time 'Operation Kamala' started. I request this government that this type of operation should not happen. Such a situation should not arise," the 86-year-old JD(S) leader stated in Lok Sabha.

The statement from Gowda came just days after JD(S) MLA K Srinivasa Gowda alleged that the BJP offered him Rs 30 crore to resign from the party.

Addressing media in Kolar on Sunday, Gowda had stated that out of the aforesaid sum, BJP leaders paid Rs 5 crore as an advance, which, he said, he accepted.

"BJP's CN Ashwathnarayan, SR Vishwanath and CP Yogeshwara came to my home, offered Rs 30 crore and gave Rs 5 crore in advance. They wanted me to resign from JD(S). I told them I am loyal to the party and will never do it. I spoke to HD Kumaraswamy and told them to take back that money (Rs 5 crore)," said Gowda.

The Congress too had alleged that Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa had offered a total of around Rs 200 crore to 18 Congress MLAs in an attempt to destabilise the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition government in the state.

Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Yeddyurappa offered Rs 10 crore per MLA and Rs 50 crore to the Speaker.