BJP offering Rs 100 crore each to Congress MLAs to topple govt, alleges ruling party MLA Ravikumar Gowda

Mandya (Karnataka): Days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP was offering Rs 50 crore to Congress lawmakers to defect, in a bid to topple his government, a ruling party MLA on Monday alleged that it has been raised to Rs 100 crore by the opposition party.

Claiming that Kittur MLA Babasaheb D Patil and Chikkamagaluru MLA H D Thammaiah are among those contacted by the saffron party, Congress MLA from Mandya Ravikumar Gowda (Ravi Ganiga) said, he has "documents and evidence" to prove that the BJP was attempting to lure the ruling party legislators.

However, both Patil and Thammaiah have clarified that they were not contacted or offered money or anything by the BJP or anyone.

The BJP has challenged the Congress and its MLA to release documents and "ensure" a probe.

"...BJP should give up the attempts to dislodge the government, buying MLAs. None of our MLAs will fall for 'Operation Kamala.' We have documents and evidence to prove their attempts, we will release it before the media at an appropriate time soon," Ravi told reporters.

"As allegations after allegations against BJP are coming out, its leaders are worried about going to jail, so they somehow want to form the government. They want to dislodge this government from the money they had made during the previous government, also there are funds from the Centre. JD(S) too has joined them," he alleged.

Alleging that BJP plans to lure about 50 MLAs and thereby wants to bring down the government, the Congress MLA said, none of them will switch sides, as they all were staunch Congressmen.

"Offer was made to 50 legislators, also they had said 30 will be made ministers...they say they don't want anything other than their party government...all kinds of offers were made....As MLAs are not falling for Rs 50 crore, they have now come to Rs 100 crore (offer), they are not worried about Rs 50 or 100 crore, they somehow want to form the government," he said.

Documents and evidence are there in both audio and videos, Ravi further claimed. "Who spoke to whom at which airport or hotel or guest house all are there....after releasing the documents at the earliest, I will meet the CM and request for action....I have already brought things to the notice of the CM."

Home Minister G Parameshwara, reacting to the claims, said "everyone is well aware that there is no value for crores now and any amount can be quoted, but it is true that such attempts are on and BJP is known for it."

"BJP is expert in 'Operation Kamala.' They have done it in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh...they are in such talks in the state. Though the exact amount cannot be quoted, an estimated Rs 50 crore is being offered...it is going on, CM himself has said it," he said.

To a question on BJP and JD(S) asking the government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations, the Home Minister said: "if necessary it will be done....if such a situation arises it will be done." BJP leader and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi challenged the Congress to release the audio and video they claim to possess, and ensure a probe.

"To divert the attention, the Congress indulges in such things, because CM Siddaramaiah is caught (in MUDA case)....let them release documents as to who offered crores of money, the Government of India will take actions against them....release documents, investigation should happen," he added.

In the previous Assembly, some Congress MLAs had resigned and come to BJP and they were sent by their party and Siddaramaiah, to ensure that H D Kumaraswamy did not continue as CM of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, Joshi alleged and said, "as they (Congress) had no moral rights to rule, BJP inducted the MLAs who defected and formed the government."

In the 2023 polls, people have given the Congress a clear mandate, he said. "Our party's (BJP) clear stand is to function as a constructive opposition. To hide their lapses and failures they (Congress) are making such absurd allegations without any documents."