Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B. Khandre said that there was no necessity for Congress to poach MLAs from the different parties as it welcomed all those who believed in the ideology of Congress, to join the party.
He was speaking to mediapersons in Bidar on Sunday. Responding to the statements made by BJP leaders, Mr. Khandre said, “Congress has got a full mandate from the people in Karnataka to form the government. Our party has won 136 seats; and there was no necessity for us to carry out ‘Operation Hand’ to poach legislators from different parties. BJP leader C.T. Ravi, who is talking about retaliation and ‘Operation Hand’, should remember that the people of his constituency have shown him the door in the recent elections,” the Minister added.
Reacting to the statements made by Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Bhagwant Khuba, and the BJP leader Basanagowda Patil Yatnal, Mr. Khandre replied that the Congress-led State government is committed to strengthening good governance; Congress’ five guarantee schemes received appreciation not only from the Karnataka, but also different states. The BJP leaders were making senseless statements after they suffered a massive defeat in the recent Assembly elections, he added.
