Operation Lotus? Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs land in Karnataka

BENGALURU: About seven Congress MLAs from the Madhya Pradesh are staying in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, after they successfully fled the Congress-ruled State reportedly pursuing greener pastures in the BJP.
Another source disputed the number and said only three were currently staying in the state. While varying numbers were quoted, it could not be immediately verified.

Sources in the Karnataka government, however, confirmed their presence in Karnataka. The southern state is ruled by the BJP after it successfully 'poached' 17 MLAs from the JD(S) and the Congress last year, made them to resign their Assembly membership and made 13 of them contest bypolls on a BJP ticket. Twelve party candidates won cementing BJP's hold on power in Karnataka.

In all, 17 Congress MLAs were supposed to flee Madhya Pradesh for Bengaluru, but chief minister Kamal Nath reportedly got wind of it, and was able to hold back several of them, according to BJP sources in Bengaluru.

The sources added the latest adventure in Madhya Pradesh had been inspired by the successful execution of "Operation Lotus" in Karnataka, and the party was attempting similar tactics in Madhya Pradesh, too.