Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Tuesday rebuffed Congress leader KC Venugopal’s statement that many leaders from the saffron party will jump ship on 23 May.

Speaking to reporters, Yeddyurappa said that the scene will be the opposite of what Venugopal is claiming.

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“Not a single person from BJP will join any other party. After 23 May, more than 20 Congress MLAs who are not happy with HD Kumaraswamy will not continue in the party,” Yeddyurappa said.

At a press conference on Monday, Venugopal claimed that the BJP MLAs will join Congress on their own.

“We are not going to poach any MLAs from BJP but naturally they will come to Congress after 23 May. That is going to happen. In last one year, Karnataka has been witnessing horse-trading mentality of BJP, and on the other hand, Congress-JD(S) joined together,” Venugopal said, referring to the January incident when BJP and the Congress housed their MLAs in resorts over allegations of horse trading.

The BJP had housed all its 104 MLAs in a hotel in Gurugram and the Congress had bussed off its MLAs to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The fresh turmoil in Karnataka came amid an increasing rift between Congress and JD(S), coalition partners in the government.

On Monday, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed JD(S) leader Vishwanath for the latter’s questions on the Congress leader’s administration.

Siddaramaiah said that “coalition dharma” was preventing him from speaking openly against “irresponsible” remarks of Vishwanath.

Siddaramaiah also said that he is proud to be the “Chief Minister who has fulfilled all the promises made in the election manifesto”.

Vishwanth had on Sunday reacted to certain sections within the Congress demanding that Siddaramaiah be made the CM.

“What is so special (about Siddaramaiah rule), was his administration greater than (Congress leader) Devaraj Urs’? People remember Devaraj Urs even today after 30 years. What great administration happened (during Siddaramaiah) to remember it for decades? What major developmental work happened? Nothing…,” Vishwanath had said.

Commenting on the war of words, Yeddyurappa said that Vishwanath’s remarks reflected Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s thoughts.