After falling short of numbers, BJP revisits ‘Operation Kamala’ of 2008
In 2008 BJP, through Reddy and some other senior leaders, managed to make 3 Congress and 4 JDS legislators resign from their seats, allegedly by offering political and money power.
“Operation Kamala” was a term coined in 2008, when BJP was in a situation similar to the current one and was 3 seats short of majority to form the government under BS Yeddyurappa.
About four Congress MLAs who joined the party just before the state assembly elections on May 12 are reportedly being wooed by BJP, while a couple of former BJP members who joined JDS are also said to have been approached to make up the numbers.
“We heard that they are trying to do Operation Kamala now also,” JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy said after meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala to stake claim to form government with Congress support. “Let them try,” he added. Congress leader Siddaramaiah was more categorical. “They will not succeed,” he declared.
“Operation Kamala” was a term coined in 2008, when BJP was in a situation similar to the current one and was three seats short of majority to form the government under BS Yeddyurappa. Former minister and minelord G Janardhana Reddy worked out a method to circumvent the Anti-Defection Law and secured the support of legislators needed to take BJP past the 112-mark.
BJP, through Reddy and some other senior leaders, managed to make three Congress and four JDS legislators resign from their seats, allegedly by offering political and money power. The seven contested by-elections on BJP ticket –– five of them won and took the party’s official strength in the house from 110 to 115.
The state unit of BJP was so happy with the success of the formula that they even presented this model as a political innovation at the party’s national executive meeting in 2009. However, Reddy never got due credit for having come up with the model.
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This time round, BJP sources pointed out that Reddy was “very much in the game again” as he was said to be operating behind the scenes to net more seats for the party. “We have won several seats in central Karnataka only because of Reddy’s operations. So, we won’t be surprised if he manages to get the remaining numbers needed for us to form the government,” a BJP legislator said.
