The raging controversy in Karnataka, over ‘horse trading’ allegations levelled by Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echoed in the Lok Sabha, forcing an adjournment and a denial by Union Minister Sadananda Gowda.
Congress members, including United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, staged a walk-out from the House over the issue, after an adjournment right at the beginning of the question hour, but returned a few minutes later.
Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the Lok Sabha, levelled allegations of horse-trading against the BJP leadership during zero hour, mentioning BJP leader B. S. Yeddyurappa’s name in connection with an audio clip, revealed by Mr. Kumaraswamy, in which he is allegedly seeking to win over an MLA of the ruling Congress–Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) coalition in the State.
‘Objectionable remarsk’
Mr. Kharge claimed that there were objectionable references in the tape, including a claim that the Assembly Speaker, and even a judge, “could be managed.”
Former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda said “things like ‘Operation Kamala’ should not happen in the country.” ‘Operation Kamala’, with a reference to the BJP’s party symbol, is a name given to any move to lure members of a rival party to its side by the BJP.
Refuting the allegations, Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation Sadananda Gowda said there was already infighting between the Congress and the JD(S) in Karnataka, and that both parties were involved in “fake activities”.
Mr. Gowda claimed that the two parties were making the allegations just to save the Chief Minister’s chair. “All things uttered [here]... are false and far from truth,” Mr. Sadananda Gowda said.
Congress members had also trooped into the Well, displaying placards with the message ‘Operation Kamala. Death of Democracy’ written on some of them.
Telegu Desam Party (TDP) members joined them in the Well as they sought to raise issues related to Andhra Pradesh. Despite repeated requests from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, they remained in the Well. Earlier, the Question Hour was adjourned for nearly 50 minutes due to these protests.
