In a major setback for Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, the High Court on Wednesday gave a green signal to probe into Operation Kamala. As a part of this probe, Yediyurappa will be investigated for his alleged role in trying to woo JD(S) MLA's son by offering him money and Ministry at the peak of state elections in 2019.
The BJP has been accused of engineering the fall of Congress-JD(S) coalition in the state based on a leaked audio, in which Yediyurappa who was then in the opposition, was allegedly trying to persuade JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandkur's son Sharanagouda to get his father to resign and defect to the BJP.
Congress demanded judicial probe
In February, the then Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy had released audio tapes that purportedly recorded conversations between Yeddyurappa, BJP MLA Shivangouda Naik, and the son of JD(S) MLA from Gurmitkal, Naganagouda Kandakur. The Congress party had demanded a judicial probe into the so-called "Operation Kamala"
"Ramesh Jarkiholi has provided evidence for our allegation about #OperationKamala, by saying that C P Yogeshwar has taken crores of rupees of loan to fund Operation Kamal. I strongly urge for a judicial investigation by a sitting High Court judge to reveal the truth," Siddaramaiah had said in a tweet.
Justice John Michael Cunha overturned the interim order of February 2019, staying the investigation into the case.
Toppling coalition govt
The Karnataka government was formed under Congress and JD(S) coalition after the 2018 Assembly poll results threw a hung Assembly in the state. But a year later in 2018, some MLAs from the ruling coalition jumped ship, which helped BJP form a government under the leadership of CM Yediyurappa.
Since then, Congress has blamed the BJP for bringing down the H.D.Kumaraswamy-led coalition government via alleged Operation Kamala. However, Yediyurappa has denied those allegations.
