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Cong shifting MLAs to resort to escape BJP's "onslaught":

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Press Trust of India Bengaluru

Congress Legislature party leader Siddaramaiah Friday said his party was shifting its MLAs to a resort to "escape" from the BJP's "onslaught."

The former Karnataka Chief Minister also accused PrimeMinister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah ofindulging in destabilising the coalition government as they fear getting just three our four seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"All our MLAs will stay together, we will discuss there about drought situation. All our MLAs, MPs and ministers will stay together at one place....

We will stay as long it is necessary," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said "We will discuss about party issues....to escape from the onslaught by the BJP. We will discuss about drought, parliament election also."

According to top Congress sources, at least 8 party MLAs had committed to BJP to jumping ship.

 

To avoid this, MLAswere being shifted to a resort on the outskirts of the city, the sources said.

Siddaramaiah, however, said, they will discuss preparation for parliamentary elections during their stay together.

Responding to a question about indulging in resort politics, while Congress was chiding the BJP for the same, he said "...because they (BJP) are troubling our MLAs by offering money..we have to escape from that."

"None of the Congress MLAs will go (to BJP), he said adding that "but, still as a precautionary measure we are going (to resort)."

Accusing BJP of involving in a "conspiracy" to destabilise the government, he said they had faced the snub two or three times in the past, but still had started going on the path that is anti-democratic.

"They (BJP) don't believe in democracy, constitution.

Yeddyurappa says they have gone to Delhi to discuss about parliament polls. What are 104 MLAs doing in the seven starhotel at Gurugram?" he questioned.

Not only state leaders of BJP, central leaders of the party, including Modi, Shah and central ministers were involved in attempts to destabilise the coalition government in Karnataka, he alleged.

Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP wanted to somehow destabilise the government, because in south of India Karnataka is the onlystate where the saffron party has presence.

Last time"they had won 17 seats (in Lok Sabha), they can't win even aseat in other stateslike Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala.

Here somehow they want to win some seats, that's their intention. As there is coalition government they know we (Congress and JD(S)) will go together...," he said.

"According to the information that I have BJP has done an internal survey, according to them if they win 3 or 4 it isa great thing.

All others we Congress and JD(S )will win. Inother parts of the country also it is disappointing picture for the BJP, so shamelessly Prime Minister, (BJP chief) Amit Shah themselves, being a national party are indulging in such things," he said.

Asserting that Congress MLAs were together, Siddaramaiah said, "our team is intact; our party is intact and united."

"BJP's allurements of money amounting Rs 50 crore, 100crore, 25 crore.. How Chowkidar's party is running? Mr Narendra Modi calls himself chowkidar, where is chowkidar getting the money from?" he questioned.

"I will give you evidence. They have spoken to our MLAs like Anil Chikkamadu, Shivalli, Hebbar, Anajali and Ramappa, among others," he pointed out, adding that they have lured them with money and ministerial posts.

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First Published: Jan 18 2019 | 9:55 PM IST

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