BJP's operation lotus creates rift in party

Using seven vacancies in cabinet as bait to woo outsiders, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa rubs BJP president the wrong way and causes heartburn to aspirants within the party.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's overture to poach legislators from opposition parties is creating a rift between him and BJP state president Eswarappa. The growing bitterness between Eswarappa and Yeddyurappa is a result of the CM's Operation Lotus which focuses on poaching MLA's and assures ministerial berths to outsiders joining his party. This is causing serious heartburn to aspirants within the party.

Yeddyurappa is trying every trick in the book and is understood to have given defecting legislators a deadline of March 9 to decide, while continuing his efforts to amuse Eswarappa. Eswarappa seems to be adamant and he said, "I am of the opinion that the party workers must not be betrayed at any cost. I am here to protect their interest and there will be no compromise on that."

Carrot and stick
Currently, there are seven vacancies in the cabinet, which several aspirants within the party, including C T Ravi, Jivaraja and Krishniah Setty are vying for. The CM is using these vacancies as bait to lure the MLAs from outside, and this is creating a problem for him. While Sanganna Karadi, a JD(S) MLA who resigned last week, is the latest to fall for Operation Lotus, at least four more legislators are understood to have lined up from Congress and the JD(S) to enter Yeddyurappa's fold.

Congress MLAs Rajashaekhar Humnabad and Venkatarao Nadagouda, and JD(S) MLAs, Subhas Guttedar and S K Basavarajan are reportedly in negotiations with the CM, and their demand is to have ministerial berths in his cabinet.

"I am in no hurry. If I resign from my party and join the BJP, then there should be something to gain. Resigning without assurance of a ministerial berth makes no sense," said Subhas Guttedar. "Eswarapapa is not averse to Operation Lotus, but is opposing Yeddyurappa for offering cabinet berths to outsiders at the cost of party MLAs, and this has created a stalemate between them," said a source in the BJP.

Let's bargain
On failing to convince Eswarappa, Yeddyurappa is struggling to bargain with opposition legislators, as they are unwilling to take up board and corporation positions and are particular about cabinet berths.

Yeddyurappa's apparent one-point agenda is to finish off the JD(S) in retaliation to party state president H D Kumaraswamy and his father H D Deve Gowda's political onslaught against him. The JD(S), currently with 26 legislators, will lose legislator party status in the assembly if its strength reduces below 22, and will forfeit legislator party office in Vidhana Soudha as a result.

Yeddyurappa is nearing success in his mission as a majority of Lingayat MLAs in opposition parties have shown willingness to join him. But, a handful of legislators on the block filling up for ministerial berths are posing a challenge for him.

Did you know?
The JD (S), currently with 26 legislators in the Vidhan Soudha, will lose legislator party status in the assembly if its strength reduces below 22.