BJP denies all the allegations made by the ruling government in Telangana, TRS. The Telangana government accused BJP of “Operation Lotus” in Telangana. In a sudden development, the police on Wednesday claimed to have caught three persons in the act of bribing four MLA’s of the state’s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to switch to the BJP.
It is alleged that as much as ₹ 100 crore was offered to a key leader in secret negotiations at a farmhouse last night.
According to the police, it is claimed that one of the MLA’s, Pilot Rohit Reddy who owns the farmhouse tipped the police off about the “deal”. He is the complainant in an FIR that alleges that ₹ 250 crore was on the table for four MLAs. The MLA also claims that he was threatened with investigations.
Consequently, three people were detained- Satiesh Sharma, alias Ram Chandra Bharati, a priest from Haryana’s Faridabad, D Simhayaji, a seer from Tirupathi, and a Hyderabad businessman, Nandakumar. However, the police claim they are linked to the BJP.
As told to NDTV, the Telangana police Chief Stephen Raveendra said that the MLA’s called the police, saying they were being “lured and bribed to change parties,. ””They said they were offered big money, contracts and posts to switch parties.”
According to FIR Rohit Reddy received a 100 crore offer, while the other three MLA’s received a 50 crore each.
If they didn’t join the BJP, “there will be criminal cases and raids by ED/ CBI and the Telangana Government led by TRS party will be toppled,” the FIR by Rohit Reddy said.
Photos have emerged since of the detained men with BJP leaders.
However, the BJP today accused the TRS of staging a drama “scripted, directed and produced” by CM KCR.
Questions raised by Kishan Reddy
“Who offered ₹ 100 crore,” Union Minister Kishan Reddy, a senior Telangana BJP leader, questioned.
“Even before the police came to the farmhouse, media crews were present there, giving details of what was happening inside. Why were they allowed into the farmhouse? How is the BJP involved? These people are not associated with the BJP,” Mr. Reddy said.
BJP denies Operation Lotus
"This shows the fear TRS party is looming under. Who said Rs 100 crores will be given? Will TRS government collapse if 1 MLA leaves? Everything was done through Pragathi Bhawan": BJP leader G Kishan Reddy on allegations of 'Operation Lotus' in Telangana
— NDTV (@ndtv) October 27, 2022
Mr. Kishan Reddy suggested that the police are elaborately involved in the plot.
Yesterday, the police chief had said the men had come to Hyderabad on fake identities. They were likely also involved in the Maharashtra coup in June in which the Shiv Sena-led coalition collapsed after a key leader, Eknath Shinde, broke away. Later they formed a new government with the BJP.
The BJP said there was “no reason” for them to offer astronomical amounts for four MLAs when the ruling party (TRS) has a comfortable majority. “Will the government fall if these pMLAs cross over,” Mr Reddy asked.
The TRS has raised “Operation Lotus” allegations since 2019.
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