Congress on Friday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying ‘poach’ its MLAs by trying to bribe them to prove majority in the Karnataka Assembly on Saturday.
During a press conference, Karnataka Congress released an audio clip, alleging that G Janardhana Reddy was trying to lure Congress MLA from Raichur Rural to join the BJP.
Congress has alleged that Reddy in the audio clip claimed that he has BJP president Amit Shah’s support to indulge in ‘horse trading’.
As per news reports, in the audio clip, Reddy (as being alleged by the congress) is heard saying: “Please forget whatever happened in the past..Don’t worry, now don’t take a step back… I will support you. I will arrange a meeting with Amit Shah and you can speak to him one-to-one… and we can take the next step. We will get you whatever post you want… whatever designation you want. You will have 100 time the assets you have right now.”
However, as per DNA news report, the Congress MLA refused to accept the offer saying, “the party has done so much for me and helped me contest the election. I cannot betray them. Although I have the utmost respect for you.”
The audio clips was released amidst allegations of horse trading by the BJP and just a day before the BS Yeddyurappa takes the floor test tomorrow.
On Thursday night, MLAs of Congress and JD(S) had to leave Bengaluru’s Eagleton Resort, where they had been staying to thwart any alleged poaching attempts by BJP. Currently, the Congress MLAs are holed up at a resort in Hyderabad.
Earlier in the day, the three-judge Supreme Court bench ordered that the floor test should be conducted at 4 pm on Saturday in the Karnataka Assembly.
The top court was hearing the Congress-JD(S) combine petition challenging Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala’s decision of inviting the BJP to form the government in Karnataka.
The top court rejected the request of Mukul Rohatgi, the counsel of Yeddyurappa, to give some more time for the floor test. The court also said it will ask the Karnataka DGP to make proper arrangements for the floor test.
The apex court also said that the Yeddyurappa can’t take any policy-related decision in his capacity as CM until the floor test is conducted.