Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 30: Even as the coalition government in the state is witnessing rumblings on account of ministry reshuffle, departure of Kumaraswamy to Singapore without signing the list of chairpersons of boards and corporations and charge of harassing deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwara, by snatching away key home portfolio from him leveled by H D Revanna, reports of angry MLA, Ramesh Jarkiholi, staying put in a hotel at New Delhi, and the fact that BJP leaders, Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar, are in New Delhi since the last two days, are giving sleepless nights too Congress leaders.

Congress leaders have reasons to believe that BJP is trying to perform Operation Lotus in a bid to topple the state government. Yeddyurappa had left for New Delhi to attend a meeting of BJP presidents from south Indian states scheduled there on Friday. Although this meeting was cancelled at the last minute, Yeddyurappa continues to stay at New Delhi. As per reports, Yeddyurappa will return to the state after meeting BJP national president, Amit Shah, on Sunday night. The coalition government partners in the state believe that Yeddyurappa is in New Delhi to get nod of the central leadership to undertake Operation Lotus.

In the meanwhile, MP, V S Ugrappa, who went to his constituency, Ballari, to meet MLAs from the district, could not do so. In spite of his best efforts, it is said, Ugrappa could not meet party MLAs, Anand Singh, Nagendra, Bheema Naik and Kampli Ganesh. This has given rise to the notion that Congress legislators from this district might cross over to BJP in the footsteps of Ramesh Jarkiholi. Congress leaders also suspect that a few Lingayat MLAs might join hands with BJP.

Efforts made by Congress leaders to find out the whereabouts of Ramesh Jarkiholi went in vain although reports received on Saturday said he is put up in a five star hotel at New Delhi. His brother, Sathish Jarkiholi tried to contact Ramesh but failed in his mission, it is said. The party leaders were hoping to contact him during the wedding of the enraged MLA's close relative at Raichur on Saturday, but Ramesh gave the function a skip.