What is Congress's Operation Hasta to counter BJP's Lotus if Karnataka throws fractured mandate?

With most exit polls predicting a hung assembly in Karnataka, Congress has devised ‘Operation Hasta’ to foil any attempt by the BJP if the saffron party tries to induce its MLAs to defect to reach the magic number of 113 in the 224-member House). Hasta in Kannada means hand, the symbol of Congress. The counting of votes will take place on May 13.

in 2018 elections, BJP had emerged the single largest party with 104 seats but fell short of a majority by nine seats. The JD(S) and Congress formed a coalition government, but just a year later BJP succeeded with its Operation Lotus as the rebellion of 17 MLAs of JD (S) and Congress led to the fall of HD Kumaraswamy led government. 13 of them contested bypolls on a BJP ticket and 12 candidates won cementing BJP's hold on power in Karnataka.

The exit polls also predicted that Janata Dal-Secular JD(S) will continue to be a strong regional player in the state and might emerge as a kingmaker in case of a fractured mandate.


JD(S) is also planning a strategy to keep its flock together even while it monitors moves of BJP and Congress. “The two national parties will definitely try to break our party as they will not get the required numbers to form the government,” Times of India quoted JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy as saying.

“While we are cautious and are taking measures to keep our flock together, we will also ensure no party will be able to form the government without our help,” said Kumaraswamy, who would be also aspiring to become chief minister for the third time.

In Wednesday voting, Karnataka recorded its highest voter turnout of 73% in seven decades in the assembly elections.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge told Times of India in an interview that BJP would try to break his party if Congress gets anything less than 150 seats. Senior Congress functionaries said that it has drawn up a strategy to muster the required numbers in case of a fractured verdict and talks are already on with potential winners from BJP and JD(S), Times of India reported.