Sack Yediyurappa, probe ‘Operation Kamala’, says Congress

Congress on Thursday demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, a day after the Karnataka High Court vacated the stay over investigation against him and others on allegations of bribery in the run-up to the formation of the BJP government in the state in 2019.

“A fair and transparent investigation can be possible only if the chief minister tenders his resignation or is sacked from the post by the BJP,” Congress spokesperson and former Union minister Rajeev Shukla told reporters here.

He said Yediyurappa should be sacked and the new government should order a transparent investigation into ‘Operation Kamala’ that toppled the previous JD(S)-Congress coalition government in the state after engineering defections.

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Shukla said senior minister K S Eshwarappa’s complaint against the chief minister, accusing him of interfering in his Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department were also serious in nature.

The senior Congress leader said BJP has no right to take high moral ground and target political opponents when it tries to brush aside allegations against the Karnataka chief minister.

“They raise a hue and cry when there are wild or even false allegations against opposition leaders. But now, since the Court has ordered a probe against the chief minister of Karnataka, I think BJP should immediately swing into action and seek his resignation,” Shukla said.

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He said Yediyurappa also faces allegations of irregularities related to allocations of apartments and land in the state.

The Karnataka High Court, in an order on Wednesday, said that the alleged role of Yediyurappa and others for allegedly offering a bribe to JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandakur’s son Sharanagouda to ensure that his father switches loyalty to the BJP.