Siddaramaiah claims Congress shifting MLAs to escape BJP 'onslaught'; Kumaraswamy says all legislators support Karnataka coalition

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah on Friday said his party was shifting its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort to escape from the BJP's "onslaught." The former Karnataka chief minister also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of destabilising the coalition government as they "fear getting just three our four seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls"."All our MLAs will stay together, we will discuss drought situation. All our MLAs, MPs and ministers will stay together in one place... We will stay as long it is necessary," Siddaramaiah said. Speaking to reporters, he said, "We will discuss party issues... to escape from the onslaught by the BJP. We will discuss drought, Parliament election also."According to top Congress sources, at least eight party MLAs had committed to jumping ship. To avoid this, MLAs were shifted to a resort on the outskirts of the city, the sources said. Siddaramaiah, however, said they will discuss preparation for parliamentary elections during their stay. Responding to a question about on resort politics while Congress was chiding the BJP for the same, he said: "...because they (BJP) are troubling our MLAs by offering money... we have to escape from that.""None of the Congress MLAs will go (to BJP), he said adding "but, still as a precautionary measure we are going (to a resort)." Accusing BJP of involving in a "conspiracy" to destabilise the government, he said they been snubbed two or three times in the past, but still started going down an anti-democratic path. "They (BJP) don't believe in democracy, Constitution. Yeddyurappa says they have gone to Delhi to discuss parliament polls. What are 104 MLAs doing in the seven-star hotel at Gurugram?" he questioned.Not only state leaders of BJP, central leaders of the party, including Modi, Shah and central ministers were involved in attempts to destabilise the coalition government in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah alleged.  He further said BJP wanted to destabilise the government because in the south of India, Karnataka is the only state where the saffron party has a presence."Last time they had won 17 seats (in Lok Sabha), they can't win even a seat in other states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala. Here somehow they want to win some seats, that's their intention. As there is coalition government they know we (Congress and JD(S)) will go together," he said."According to the information that I have, BJP has done an internal survey. According to them, if they win three or four seats it is a great thing. All others we Congress and JD(S )will win. In other parts of the country also it is a disappointing picture for the BJP, so shamelessly prime minister, (BJP chief) Amit Shah themselves, being a national party are indulging in such things," he said.Asserting that Congress MLAs were together, Siddaramaiah said, "Our team is intact; our party is intact and united." "BJP's allurements of money amounting Rs 50 crore, 100 crore, 25 crore. How chowkidar's party is running? Mr Narendra Modi calls himself chowkidar, where is chowkidar getting the money from?" he questioned. "I will give you evidence. They have spoken to our MLAs like Anil Chikkamadu, Shivalli, Hebbar, Anajali and Ramappa, among others," he said, claiming the BJP lured them with money and ministerial posts.Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister Kumaraswamy reiterated that his government was stable and assured that he was in touch with all the MLAs who skipped the CLP meet.With inputs from PTI