Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s offer of Rs 50 crore each for Congress party MLAs did not work and the offer has now been revised to Rs 100 crore to switch their loyalties, alleged Mandya MLA Ravikumar Gowda of the Congress party.
Talking to reporters in Mandya on Monday, the MLA alleged BJP now joined Janata Dal Secular (JDS) , its ally, have been making attempts to bring down the Congress government in Karnataka and about 60 –MLAs have to switch sides in order to bring down the Congress government. But, none of the Congress MLAs have shown inclination to switch sides.
Gowda said Chikkamagaluru MLA H.D. Thammaiah and Kittur MLA Babasaheb Patil were reportedly contacted by BJP leaders with offers to switch sides. “Who met whom and location among others details are available,” said the MLA.
On the offers made by BJP leaders, he said, BJP leaders have assured to make 30 MLAs as Ministers in the BJP led government, also to meet the election expenses of each of the MLAs crossing over to BJP among many others.
The reason the Congress MLA gave to bring down the Congress government in Karnataka is over fear among the BJP leaders landing behind the bars since scams during the BJP’s term is getting exposed in recent days. Through poaching MLAs of opposition, Ravikumar Gowda pointed out that the BJP formed its Government in Karnataka twice, once in 2009 and in 2019.
He assured to expose the attempts being made by BJP to lure Congress MLAs with documents and stated the party leaders have in their possession conservations audio/video/ pen drive. In reply to a query, he said, “The release of documents will be made at an auspicious time.”
Reacting to Ravikumar Gowda’s statement, Chikkamagaluru MLA H.D. Thammaiah told reporters none of the BJP leaders have contacted him with offers to switch loyalties. “I have been in BJP for 18 years and exchanged pleasantries when I accidentally come across BJP leaders,” stated the MLA and ruled out any talks on switching sides.
