New Delhi, Jan 15 (UNI) In the midst of claims and counter claims of poaching charges from the either side, the BJP central leadership on Tuesday for the first time led attack against the JD(S)-Congress combine in Karnataka and said the blame for crisis in the state should go "entirely' to the Congress.
"Congress leadership has failed in Karnataka in providing good governance and also a coherent government. Now they are trying to shift the blame on BJP. The BJP is not ready to play the game, blame is entirely on Congress," tweeted P Muralidhar Rao, BJP general secretary in charge for Karnataka.
A large number of BJP legislators from Karnataka are camping in a resort in Gurugram in BJP-ruled Haryana for last two days amid the central leadership urging the state leaders "not to wait" for the fall of the Kumaraswamy ministry but focus on working for Lok Sabha polls.
BJP chief Amit Shah has already met a section of leaders, including MLAs and also senior party leader B S Yeddyurappa.
"But the BJP leadership is cautious because the efforts made in 2018 May just after the assembly polls led by Mr Yeddyurappa did not yield expected outcome," a source said adding the party does not want to face similar embarrassment just on the eve of the Parliamentary elections.
A section of BJP leaders also feel taking over the 'reins' of governance in Karnataka may deprive BJP from making the capital of anti-incumbency mood in the state.
"We have been directed to ensure that all resources and hard work contribute to put up a good show for coming Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, BJP won 19 seats out of 27 while Congress had managed only six seats even though the grand old party was in power in the state," the source said.
Sources said the party central leadership has again advised the state party leaders and MLAs to focus on doing well in Mumbai - Karnataka, Hyderabad- Karnataka, Central Karnataka, South Karnataka and coastal Karnataka regions.
However, in a related development in Mumbai, Maharashtra Minister Ram Shinde claimed the fall of Kumaraswamy is imminent within next two days.
Meanwhile, two Independent MLAs, H Nagesh and R Shankar, have announced the withdrawal of their support from the JD(S)-Congress government in their separate letters to the state Governor Vajubhai Vala.
BJP insiders say for his part the JD(S) leader and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy despite his 'bravado' is feeling embarrassed on muscle flexing by the Congress.
"After the loot on good portfolios, now the fight between JD(S) and Congress have shifted to seat sharing wherein JD(S) wants a larger share of the pie and this has irked the Congress," the BJP source said.
Sources pointed out it is not without good reason that the Chief Minister has criticised Congress saying that he was being treated like a 'clerk'. "In July last year, expressing his unhappiness over the coalition government, Kumaraswamy had even wept in public".
Meanwhile, BJP Karnataka unit in its twitter handle has joined issue with the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his missives flaying the saffron party for the latest round of 'Operation Lotus'.
"Disgraceful is when you form government even after been rejected by people of Karnataka. Lack of Niyat & Vikas in your unholy alliance is a result of crippled government. Stop blaming BJP and Modi to hide your failure to save your existence. Your greed has crippled Kumaraswamy’s govt," the tweet said.
Earlier Mr Siddaramaiah also had taken to Twitter and wrote: "Mr Saaf Niyat Narendra Modi, Is allowing your disgraceful BJP Karnataka leaders to destabilize govt a 'Saaf Niyat' towards democracy?".
In last two days, among others, the influential Congress leader and Water Resources Minister D Shivakumar has said the 'threat of defection' in the Congress was real, but the Chief Minister was adopting only a policy of wait and watch.
"If I was in his place, I would have exposed the BJP machinations within 24 hours,” Mr Shivakumar has said.
UNI DEVN AR 1902