After a video of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa went viral — in which he is allegedly heard saying that BJP leaders in New Delhi had orchestrated the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka — the CM has clarified that he was asking the BJP party workers in Hubballi to speak respectfully about the disqualified MLAs as they had “sacrificed” their seats in the Assembly to bring down the coalition.
A video allegedly showing Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa admitting to carrying out Operation Kamala in the state on the instructions of BJP's national leaders emerged late on Friday night. While the audio was captured, one could not confirm if it was Yediyurappa who was addressing the meeting.
However, on Sunday, BS Yediyurappa told the media, “Yes, I had spoken to the party workers in Hubballi and I told them to say good things about the disqualified MLAs.”
He added, “Everyone knows that they resigned and were staying in Mumbai. They did this because they were not happy with the coalition government. They are responsible for our government to come to power. That’s why I asked the party workers to support them and not create problems for them.”
In the video, which was shot during the BJP core committee meeting in Hubballi, Yediyurappa can be allegedly heard saying: "Don't you know that Yediyurappa took the decision for 17 MLAs? The national leaders knew and they (rebel MLAs) were kept in Mumbai for two months. For three months, they didn't go to their constituency or even see their wives or children. You know that they were there. Whether we win or lose, it is a different issue. We gave it a shot.”
Congress demands CM’s dismissal
Several leaders of the Opposition have lashed out against the Chief Minister. Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah has submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala, stating that the 17 disqualified MLAs were coerced into resigning.
Members of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) submitted a memorandum to the Governor, seeking Yediyurappa’s dismissal as the Chief Minister. They also demanded the Governor write to President Ramnath Kovind, to take action against Home Minister Amit Shah for his alleged role in toppling the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.
“There is video proof,” Siddaramaiah alleged, “In the core committee meeting, he has clearly stated that he did not carry out Operation Kamala by himself but Amit Shah also helped him. He also said that Amit Shah had taken the responsibility of housing them at a hotel in Mumbai. This is against the Tenth Schedule (of the Indian Constitution). It is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Yediyurappa and Amit Shah are trying to destroy our Constitution.”
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao alleged that the BJP had bribed the disqualified MLAs into resigning. “Amit Shah helped with Operation Kamala. Yediyurappa himself said it. They bribed the disqualified MLAs and made them resign. We have requested the Governor to dismiss the Yediyurappa government. I hope he makes the right decision,” Dinesh Gundu Rao alleged.
Joining the bandwagon, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of misusing democratic institutions to topple the coalition. “We’ll be submitting this clipping to the Supreme Court, where the disqualified MLAs’ case is being heard. Let the court also see what Yediyurappa has done,” he said.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition filed by the rebel legislators, who are seeking to get the Speaker's disqualification orders quashed. The hearing is expected to take place on Monday.
BJP defends Yediyurappa
BJP leaders, on the other hand, came to Yediyurappa’s rescue and maintained that the rebel leaders had resigned of their own volition. Speaking to the media at Hubballi on Saturday, Deputy CM Ashwathnarayan said that the Congress leaders were misusing the controversy for political mileage.
“We don’t know if it’s Yediyurappa’s voice or someone else’s. People (referring to the Congress) levelling false allegations against him is wrong. No one has established the authenticity of that video,” Ashwathnarayan said.
However, BJP MP from Belagavi, Suresh Angadi said that Yediyurappa had “only told party workers that the disqualified MLAs resignation had helped BJP come to power”. “He did not say anything about giving them money to resign. He only told party workers that their resignations helped us come to power. The decision to give them tickets is up to the party’s national leaders,” Suresh Angadi said.
Even the disgruntled JD(S) MLC (Member of Legislative Council) Basavaraj Horatti in Hubbali defended Yediyurappa’s stand to protect the disqualified MLAs. “I expressed my opinion that CM should protect disqualified MLAs and ensure that justice is done to them for their sacrifice. The CM should keep his word,” he said.
Rebels deny allegation
In the wake of the controversy surrounding the viral video, Congress rebel Ramesh Jarkiholi said that his resignation had nothing to do with the BJP. "We did not resign because we wanted to join the BJP; we were not happy with the coalition's administration," Ramesh Jarkiholi said.