25 Cong MLAs, including ministers, ready to join BJP: Vijayendra

Bengaluru, Oct 12 (UNI) Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa on Monday claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MLAs, including ministers, were ready to join the BJP if Assembly elections were announced, alleging that the ruling party was facing internal discontent amid the controversy over alleged sting operations targeting ministers.

Vijayendra said the BJP was not attempting to poach Congress legislators but claimed that the political atmosphere within the ruling party was conducive to defections if elections were held immediately. "If elections are announced tomorrow, 25 Congress MLAs, including ministers, will join the BJP," he said. He alleged that several Congress legislators had lost faith in the party's leadership, projecting the reported discontent as a sign of deeper political instability within the ruling party. However, he did not identify the legislators or ministers he claimed were prepared to switch sides, and his assertion could not be independently verified. His remarks came amid a political controversy over alleged sting operations targeting ministers and bureaucrats in the state government. The episode has triggered questions over whether the alleged operations were intended to expose wrongdoing or were connected to internal power struggles within the Congress. Vijayendra criticised the alleged use of sting operations for political purposes, arguing that the controversy had damaged the state's political atmosphere. He referred to allegations that the operations could have been linked to attempts by some leaders to secure ministerial positions or advance their claims to the chief minister's post. He said the identities of those involved and the circumstances surrounding the operations would emerge in due course. The allegations remain contested, and the identities, motives and authenticity of those involved in the alleged operations have not been independently established. The controversy has also drawn criticism from union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, who questioned why the state government had not ordered an investigation despite Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's claims about an alleged plot targeting five Cabinet ministers and bureaucrats. Kumaraswamy demanded clarity on who was behind the alleged operations and why the matter had not been formally investigated. Vijayendra also accused the Congress government of diverting attention from governance issues through the controversy. Raising the issue of drought relief, he alleged that farmers were yet to receive the promised compensation of Rs 2,500 and questioned the government's response to distress in drought-affected areas. He further alleged that Karnataka's finances were under severe strain, claiming that unpaid dues to oil companies had affected the movement of state transport buses. He also criticised proposals for ring roads in taluks, alleging that the government was pursuing projects linked to real-estate interests despite the state's financial difficulties. The BJP leader predicted that the Congress would perform poorly in future parliamentary elections under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, challenging the party to secure public support rather than rely on political allegations. The remarks signal the BJP's attempt to turn the sting-operation controversy into a broader political challenge to the Congress government, linking questions about internal leadership, alleged factionalism and governance failures. However, Vijayendra's prediction of 20 to 25 Congress legislators joining the BJP remains unconfirmed. No list of prospective defectors or formal announcement of a mass defection was cited. The Congress leadership's response to the specific claim of a possible mass switch was not immediately available. UNI BDN