Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy alleges BJP carrying out operation lotus

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy slammed the BJP after two cabinet ministers handed their resignation, alleging that the saffron party is carrying out "Operation Lotus" in the union territory.

Operation Lotus is the name given by the Opposition to BJP's ploy to orchestrate defections and dethrone governments.

"This is the BJP's style of functioning. They will poach and buy MLAs. They have done it in Manipur, Arunachal, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh...they are only purchasing MLAs. Shame on the BJP for targeting elected Congress governments," the Puducherry Chief Minister said in an interview with NDTV.

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MLAs Malladi Krishna Rao and John Kumar handed in their resignations to the Puducherry Assembly Speaker on Monday, although their stepping down is yet to be accepted, Narayanasamy added.

The resignation of the two ministers relegated the ruling Congress Party to a minority in the Assembly.

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Narayanasamy said Rao's reason for resigning was out of friction and irritation with ousted Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, while Kumar's reason is unknown. The report added that Rao is likely to join the BJP.

The developments come just a few months before Puducherry heads to the Assembly polls.

On Monday night, Kiran Bedi was removed as Lieutenant Governor by the Centre and replaced with Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan.