Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed openness to welcoming BJP defectors into the Congress party if they align with its ideology. This comes amidst speculation of a ‘Ghar Wapsi’ or homecoming of some BJP legislators and senior party members ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Siddaramaiah stated that not only those who had left the party but also anyone who accepts the party’s policies and programs will be welcomed into the fold.
Several legislators and leaders from the Congress and JD(S), especially those who had previously quit the party, have been seen engaging with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. Among them are BJP MLAs and former ministers S T Somashekar and Arabail Shivaram Hebbar. Even former BJP MLA M P Renukacharya, a loyalist of former CM B S Yediyurappa, met with Siddaramaiah, while former MP and MLA Ayanur Manjunath, who left the BJP for JD(S) before the assembly elections, met with Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.
Speculation is rife that the Congress has launched ‘Operation Hasta’ (Operation Palm) in retaliation to the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus,’ which aimed to bring down coalition governments. However, the Congress has denied carrying out any such operation.
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who switched allegiance from BJP to Congress before the assembly elections after being denied a ticket, claimed that the BJP is weakening day by day and rapidly declining. He predicted that many people from the BJP would join the Congress, potentially reaching a number of 20 or 30 if the floodgates are opened.
Meanwhile, as the Congress initiated inquiries into public works conducted by the Bengaluru municipal corporation and various government departments, including the PWD, Health, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and Irrigation Department, some BJP leaders accused the ruling party of using these probes as a means to harass them. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar argued that the investigations were necessary due to reports of significant irregularities and alleged that ministers in the previous government had given themselves a clean chit.
Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy dismissed the need for the Congress to hatch ‘Operation Hasta’, stating that if BJP members wanted to join, the Congress would welcome them since they already had a significant number of members.
Overall, these recent developments demonstrate the political dynamics in Karnataka, with both the Congress and BJP making efforts to strengthen their positions ahead of the upcoming elections. The welcoming of BJP defectors by the Congress signifies a potential shift in alliances and could have a significant impact on the state’s political landscape.
