Yeddyurappa defends Operation Lotus

Hubli: Karnataka Chief Minister BS
Yeddyurappa on Saturday defended `Operation Lotus` under which the
BJP engineered defection of MLAs from opposition parties.

"Operation Lotus was carried out in the state as Congress
and JD(S) were luring BJP MLAs to dethrone my government.
That`s why it was initiated by BJP," Yeddyurappa told
reporters here.

Yeddyurappa has come under attack for luring opposition
MLAs and it is learnt that the advisory sent to his government
by the Centre recently also makes a mention of it.

BJP managed to poach in about 20 MLAs from JD(S) and
Congress by making them resign their Assembly membership and
contest the by-polls.

PTI