Karnataka: Former CM HD Kumaraswamy slams BJP for playing dirty politics in Maharashtra

Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that it does not like any other party in power. "BJP has increased its thirst for power. BJP will not tolerate any other party being in power," he said.

Speaking to media persons at Janata Dal (Secular) party's state office JP Bhavan, he responded to the issue of Operation Lotus in Maharashtra. Operation Lotus is an alleged programme of the BJP, established by the former Karnataka CM and BJP's senior leader B. S. Yediyurappa (BSY), wherein the party purchases the leaders of opposition in order to strengthen its own force to come to power.

"The BJP's thirst for power is so bad that it is expected that a clear majority government will not survive due to the thirstiness of BJP in the coming days," he added. Expressing dissatisfaction towards the ongoing political crisis in Maharastra, he said "even the other parties that won with a full majority, would not be allowed to survive.

Minutes after the Shiv Sena demanded the disqualification of 12 rebel MLAs, Eknath Shinde took to Twitter and wrote, "You can't scare us by applying for action against 12 MLAs." The political crisis in Maharashtra intensified with three more Shiv Sena MLAs joining the rebel group of MLAs led by Eknath Shinde in Guwahati on Thursday. They reached a hotel in Guwahati where other MLAs are campaigning.

Last night, four more MLAs joined Shinde in Guwahati. The rebel MLAs had earlier adopted a resolution with signatures of 34 legislators stating that Eknath Shinde continues to be the leader. The resolution was sent to state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. However, BJP had said on Wednesday Maharashtra crisis is Shiv Sena's internal matter and the party has nothing to do with it.

"They are (BJP) saying that apparently, legislators are not happy with Thackeray, he has not gained the confidence of lawmakers. But the one who is playing all dirty politics behind all this is none other than the BJP. There is no doubt in it," he told the reporters. "I have experienced this in Karnataka. They (BJP) also accused me of not trusting the legislators. They falsely campaigned that lawmakers were not properly treated in my government too, I gave Rs 19,000 crore to the development of the constituencies of Congress. I gave the list to the party's legislative party leader about it. However, the BJP played politics and conducted operation lotus that toppled my government," Kumaraswamy added.

He continued attacking BJP during his address and said, "The conduct of the BJP in Maharashtra is a taint to the Constitution. The BJP is spreading blasphemy all over the country. There is no constitutional protection left in the country today..." Being asked about the textbook crisis going on in the state, Kumaraswamy replied, "There has been a pro-opposition debate over the textbook. Congress is speaking out against the text and the BJP Minister is accusing the Siddaramaiah government of framing the text." He said that the Siddaramaiah government had made a mistake.

A controversy surfaced last month over alleged erroneous revision in the textbooks in the state curricula. There were demands for the sacking of review committee chief Rohith Chakratirtha. The committee headed by Chakrathirtha was set up to examine and revise the school textbooks.

Several seers and prominent personalities had objected to a move by the state government to revise a chapter on the 12th-century reformist Basavanna. Notably, a section of seers alleged that social reformer Basavanna's teachings have been distorted in the revised Kannada and social science textbooks for Class X students. The seers also accused the review committee of insulting Vishwamanava -- the poet of Kuvempu's state anthem.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda (former Prime Minister of India), also visited to take part in the protest against the alleged insult to Kuvempu in the textbook after being invited by the Kuvempu forum. "I am also studying what is wrong with the text during both governments," he said.