Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 17: In the battle of supremacy engineered by the 'Operation Lotus' reportedly attempted by the BJP, Congress seems to have gained an upper hand. Not prepared to take things lying down, BJP state president, B S Yeddyurappa, has assured the legislators holed up in a resort at a Gurugram to wait for a few days before the drama could unfold in front of their eyes.

In the meanwhile, in-charge of Congress affairs in Karnataka, K C Venugopal, has sounded five ministers to be prepared for a sacrifice. The party is said to be under compulsion to appease a few disgruntled leaders. The ministers who have been asked to be in readiness to quit are rural development minister, Krishna Byre Gowda, social welfare minister, Priyank Kharge, agricultural minister, Shivashankara Reddy, and urban development and housing minister, U T Khader.

K C Venugopal

Venugopal, who left for New Delhi after he felt that the clouds of danger have blown away, told the media persons that the coalition will last its full term and that the party will hold state-wide protest against BJP's tactics on Thursday. The party also produced before the media persons its legislators, Bheema Naik from Hagaribommanahalli and Basangouda Daddal from Raichur rural constituencies, who were supposed to have been poached by the BJP to prove that none of the Congressmen have crossed to the other said.

Chief minister, Kumaraswamy, who worked in tandem with Venugopal, deputy chief minister, Parameshwara, former chief minister, Siddaramaiah and water resources minister, Shivakumar, succeeded in thwarting danger that was looming large on the government, it is said.

Congress party, which is determined to keep its MLAs together, would be convening its legislature party meeting on January 18.

In the meantime, BJP state general secretary, C T Ravi, said that BJP has nothing to do with Congress dissidents and that his party had never tried to preempt the fall of the coalition government. He said that he has suspicion about the Congress being a party to this high drama.