Operation Kamala

Operation Kamala (also spelled Operation Kamal, and sometimes referred to as Operation Lotus) is a term coined in 2008 to describe a political strategy allegedly used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Indian state of Karnataka. The operation was allegedly led by former minister G. Janardhana Reddy and involved efforts to secure support from legislators of opposition parties. This approach enabled the BJP to bypass the provisions of the anti-defection law and achieve a majority in the state assembly. ^{[1] [2]} . The BJP has never officially accepted the allegations, and has dismissed the claims of Operation Kamala, calling it "a tactic to hoodwink the people." ^{[3] [4]}

The term "Kamala" (or "Kamal") refers to the lotus, which is the electoral symbol of the BJP. Operation Kamala is commonly used in Indian political discussions to describe alleged strategies involving the inducement or persuasion of MLAs and MPs from other parties—particularly the Indian National Congress (INC)—to support the BJP in forming or maintaining power in state legislatures where it does not have an outright majority. ^[5]

Delhi

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that "BJP has spent Rs 6,500 crore [65 billion] rupees on buying 277 MLAs, they also tried to buy Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) MLAs in Delhi, and they offered 20 crores to each. They brought Rs 800 crores to buy MLAs of Delhi." ^[6] Kejriwal conducted a floor test in the Delhi Assembly to prove that his government continued to have the majority in the assembly and BJP's alleged Operation Lotus in Delhi had failed to poach AAP MLAs. Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party successfully proved its majority in the legislature. ^{[7] [8]}

Goa

2019

In July 2019, fourteen members of the Indian National Congress swithched their paties and joined Bharatiya Janata Party, allegedly through Operation Kamala. ^{[9] [10]}

2022

On 14 September 2022, 8 Congress MLAs switched to BJP, alledly through Operation Kamala. ^[11] Former Chief Minister of Goa Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo, along with other 6 Congress MLAs joined Bharatiya Janata Party, after being seen in viral photos with Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, hours ahead of them formally joining BJP. ^{[12] [13]}

This section is transcluded from 8th Goa Assembly. (edit | history)

No.	Constituency	Name	Remarks
6	Siolim	Delilah Lobo	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
7	Saligao	Kedar Naik	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
8	Calangute	Michael Lobo	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
13	St. Cruz	Rodolfo Louis Fernandes	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
15	Cumbarjua	Rajesh Faldessai	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
24	Mormugao	Sankalp Amonkar	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
28	Nuvem	Aleixo Sequeira	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]
31	Margao	Digambar Kamat	Defected from Congress to BJP on 14 September 2022 [11]

Karnataka

2008

The BJP won 110 seats in the assembly elections in May 2008, falling three seats short of a simple majority. With the backing of six independents, Yeddyurappa took the oath of office as chief minister of Karanataka to establish the first BJP administration in south India. It is claimed that to further secure the stability of the administration, the BJP allegedly lured seven MLAs—three from the Congress and four from the JD(S) in an operation allegedly funded by mining tycoon and former BJP minister Janardhan Reddy of Bellary—by allegedly offering them money and power. The BJP scored five victories in the by-elections, bringing its total in the 224-member assembly to 115. This alleged operation was termed by the then opposition parties in the state as Operation Kamala ^[14]

The MLAs who switched parties during the alleged Operation Kamala and resigned are J. Narasimha Swamy, Anand Asnotikar, Jaggesh, Balachandra Jarkiholi, K. Shivanagouda Naik. Umesh Katti and D. C. Gourishankar. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

2019

Main article: 2019 Karnataka political crisis

Ramesh Jarkiholi and 16 other Congress and JD(S) MLAs resigned from their posts. Ramesh Jarkiholi was one of the 14 MLAs from Congress and 3 from JD(S) who resigned in July 2019, bringing down the HDK Congress-JD(S) coalition and allowing B.S. Yeddyurappa (BSY) to return to power. ^[18] After Supreme Court ruling held up their disqualification but allowed them to run, Jarkiholi joined BJP along with all other rebels inducted by Yeddyurappa and other important persons. ^{[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]}

Investigations

• On 31 March 2021, the bench of Justice D'Cunha refused to quash the FIR against the sitting Chief Minister of Karnataka B. S. Yediyurappa in a case, which is nicknamed 'Operation Kamala' case. ^[24] At the time of the alleged incident, Yediyurappa was the leader of opposition. ^[25]

Reactions

• In an interview with Deccan Herald in March 2019, B. S. Yediyurappa said "Operation Kamala was not wrong and I don't regret it. It is part of democracy." ^{[26] [27]}
• Lehar Singh Siroya claimed that the BJP cadre in the State was “by and large against the Operation Kamala” as that would not help the party in the long term. ^[28]
• H. D. Kumaraswamy alleged that the BJP used Operation Kamala to affect the defections of MLAs from his government, causing it to fall.

Madhya Pradesh

Main article: 2020 Madhya Pradesh political crisis

The crisis began when long loyalist Congress politician Jyotiraditya Scindia suddenly went to Delhi and resigned from Congress and joined BJP. This led to many supporters of him resigning from Congress as well. Hardeep Singh Dang resigned from the assembly membership and consequently from Indian National Congress, citing in a letter, 'ignorance from his party' and then joined BJP on March 21, 2020, along with 21 others. ^{[29] [30] [31]} Ultimately, this exodus led to the fall of the Kamal Nath government.

See also

• Aaya Ram Gaya Ram
• Law of India
• List of party switchers during Operation Kamala
• List of scandals in India
• Disqualification of convicted representatives in India
• 2019 Maharashtra political crisis
• 2022 Maharashtra political crisis
• 2019 Karnataka Political Crisis
• 2015–2016 Arunachal Pradesh political crisis
• Political corruption
• List of state governments dismissed by the Indian National Congress

References

1. Aji, Sowmya (16 May 2018). "After falling short of numbers, BJP revisits 'Operation Kamala' of 2008". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
2. "DH Deciphers | What is Operation Kamala 2.0?". Deccan Herald. 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
3. "Race to Lok Sabha: Operation Kamala: BJP dismisses claims". Banglore Mirror. 24 March 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
4. "Turncoat troublemakers: A history of 'Operation Kamala'". Deccan Herald. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
5. "op-lotus-in-punjab-mlas-offered-25-crores-each-aap-minister-claims".
6. "Free power for 12 hours, loan waiver: Kejriwal announces guarantees to poll-bound Gujarat". The New Indian Express. 2 September 2022. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
7. "Why Arvind Kejriwal Needed A Floor Test In Delhi Assembly To Prove Majority Of His Government". www.outlookindia.com/. 29 August 2022. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
8. "Arvind Kejriwal On Majority Test: "To Show (BJP's) Op Lotus Failed"". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
9. "10 Congress Legislators From Goa Formally Join BJP, Other Allies Jittery". NDTV.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
10. Ghadyalpatil, Abhiram (10 July 2019). "In fresh jolt to Congress in Goa, 10 party legislators switch to BJP". mint. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
11. "8 Goa Congress MLAs defect to BJP". The Indian Express. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
12. "Another Setback to Congress in Goa, 8 Party MLAs join BJP including Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo". News18 . 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
13. "Another Setback to Congress in Goa, 8 Party MLAs join BJP including Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo". Times of India . 14 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
14. "DH DECIPHERS | What is Operation Kamala 2.0?". Deccan Herald. 15 January 2019.
15. "What is Operation Kamal?". 16 May 2018.
16. "A fraternal fight that brought down the Karnataka government and threatens the next one". The News Minute. 24 July 2019.
17. "'2008ರ ಆಪರೇಷನ್‌ ಕಮಲ': ಕೆಲವರು ತೆರೆ ಮುಂದೆ, ಹಲವರು ತೆರೆಮರೆಗೆ - ಮಂಕಾದ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಕಲಿಗಳ ಬದುಕು". Vijay Karnataka (in Kannada).
18. "How did the 17 'Operation Lotus' MLAs fare in the Karnataka polls". India Today . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
19. "16 rebel Karnataka MLAs join BJP day after SC verdict, CM Yediyurappa welcomes them". The Financial Express. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
20. "16 disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs join BJP, 13 get bypoll ticket | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
21. Gowda, Aravind (5 July 2019). "Rebel-rousing in the Congress". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
22. "Karnataka crisis: Congress steps up efforts to persuade MLA to withdraw resignation from assembly". Times of India. Press Trust of India. 14 July 2019. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
23. "The 15 MLAs who brought down Kumaraswamy government". The New Indian Express. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
24. Plumber, Mustafa (1 April 2021). ""Serious Allegations ": Karnataka High Court Vacates Stay, Orders Thorough Investigation Against Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa in 'Operation Kamala' case". www.livelaw.in. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
25. Biju, Rintu Mariam (April 2021). "Karnataka High Court allows probe against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in 'Operation Kamala' case". Bar and Bench. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
26. "Watch | Operation Kamala not wrong, no regret: BSY". Deccan Herald. 20 March 2019. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
27. Mohammad, Akram (5 April 2021). "Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa may find going tough after May 2". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 6 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
28. Kumar, B. s Satish (12 December 2018). "'Operation Kamala' will not help BJP provide stable govt., says Lahar Singh". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
29. "'Disgruntled' Congress MLA Hardeep Singh Dang Resigns from Madhya Pradesh Assembly". 5 March 2020. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
30. "Operation Lotus? Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs land in Karnataka". The Economic Times. 4 March 2020. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
31. "Trouble for Congress in Madhya Pradesh as MLA Hardeep Singh Dang Resigns; 3 More Missing". Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.

Further reading

• Ravi, Bheemaiah Krishnan (2018). Modern media, elections and democracy. New Delhi, India. ISBN   978-93-86602-38-1. OCLC   1011356716.
• Jaffrelot, Christophe (2021). Modi's India : Hindu nationalism and the rise of ethnic democracy. Cynthia Schoch. Princeton. ISBN   978-0-691-22309-4. OCLC   1238131061.
• Electoral dynamics in the states of India. Sandeep Shastri, Ashutosh Kumar, Yatindra Singh Sisodia. Abingdon, Oxon. 2022. ISBN   978-1-003-15997-1. OCLC   1262691121.

External links

• Outline of the Indian Government