‘BJP to increase quota for STs at whose cost?’

Terming the BJP’s promise of increasing reservation for Scheduled Tribes to 7.5 per cent if the party came to power as “an attempt to hoodwink oppressed communities”, the Congress on Monday sought to know which community would have to take a cut in reservation owing to this “jugglery” as the State is legally bound to keep the total quantum of reservation at no more than 50 per cent.

Addressing a press conference here, V.S. Ugrappa, Congress MLC, pointed out that the Supreme Court had pegged the total quantum of reservation to all the communities at 50 per cent and the State’s present reservation level had already touched the mark. “Hence, it becomes the responsibility of the BJP to make clear which community would be hit by its promise,” Mr. Ugrappa said.

‘Operation Lotus’

He alleged that the BJP was trying to indulge in ‘Operation Lotus’ to woo Congress MLAs to its fold to destabilise the State government. He alleged the operation had the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah.