Cong MLAs being "terrorised" as part of BJP's toppling bid,

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to "take control" of his party MLAs in Karnataka by using CBI, ED and Income Tax to "terrorise" them in the BJP's alleged bid to topple the state government.

"They are trying multiple things such as threatening our MLAs by carrying out CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax raids.

Modi is attempting to take control over our MLAs," Kharge alleged while addressing Congress workers at a ceremony where H K Patil took over as KPCC campaign committee chief.

Kharge, the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, reminded BJP leaders that Congress workers were "strong and stubborn" and they would not yield to any pressure.

He spoke about an incident to underline 'Operation Lotus', an alleged BJP attempt to topple the coalition government, Kharge said he, Modi, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, and senior BJP leader L K Advani had assembled on January 16 evening to decide on the Gandhi Peace Prize.

When they were sitting, the prime minister asked Kharge about the developments in Karnataka, he said.

"I told him that it is you not me who knows better about what you are doing. Modi said there is an information that BJP MLAs have been lured to defect.

I replied that your people and your government are doing it.Then he said your people (Congress MLAs) are roaming here and there."