'If one goes from our camp, 10 will come from there': Mallikarjun Kharge on Operation Lotus

Bengaluru, Jan 26: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said 'Operation Kamala' is still underway and all other central forces were at work to destabilise Karnataka before the Lok Sabha elections and impose governor's rule.

"BJP, RSS and all the central forces are at work to destabilise Karnataka before the elections, and bring in Governor's rule but this won't happen. Aur kitna bhi girane ki koshish karne do, agar ek jaenge to 10 udhar se aenge (If one goes, ten will come back)," ANI tweeted.

"Operation Kamala is underway due to the central govt. This was earlier being done by Yeddyurappa ji in 2008 & now this is being done again. This is a brainchild of BJP. Some are being lured with money, some with power, some are being threatened," he added.

On Friday, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said the BJP had offered huge "gift" to a Congress MLA on Thursday night asking him to defect to the BJP.

Speaking to media, he said "The BJP is desperate for power. They want to topple my government before next month. They are offering unimaginable amount of money for defection. Where do they get the money from? Yeddyurappa must answer. Our Congress MLA has flatly refused their offer. We are united and no amount of pressure and money will make our MLAs defect to their side."

Kharge also said that the government ignored Shivakumara Swami, the spiritual leader who passed away Monday, while conferring the Padma awards.

Expressing his disappointment, Kharge said that the Lingayat seer spent his life working for orphan children but was still not considered by the government for the Bharat Ratna.

"It is disappointing that the Central government did not announce to confer the Bharat Ratna award on Shivakumara Swami, iconic Lingayat seer who died recently," said veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Born on April 1, 1908, in Veerapura village of Ramanagara district in Karnataka, the Swami was also involved in several philanthropic activities and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2015.