Bengaluru, 13 May

Dismissing his Maharashtra counterpart's reported statements regarding efforts to replicate the 'Maharashtra model' to topple the Congress government in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said Eknath Shinde was under an "illusion" and is "daydreaming", and claimed none of his MLAs "are ready to get sold."

In a counter, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar said after the Lok Sabha polls, the Maharashtra government led by Shinde will lose its strength, and there are doubts about its survival.

Speaking at a campaign event in Maharashtra's Satara, Shinde is said to have told the gathering that during his recent visit to Karnataka there were talks about 'Operation Nath (Eknath)', referring to toppling of the MahaVikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and replicating it in Karnataka after Lok Sabha polls. He had further said his experience may come in handy for such an exercise in the Congress-ruled state.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government fell in 2022 following a spilt in Shiv Sena, with MLAs led by Shinde breaking out and joining hands with the BJP. "He (Shinde) is under an illusion, he is daydreaming. At no cost they will be able to (pull down) our government in Karnataka through 'Operation Kamala' as they did in Maharashtra, because NDA is going to lose in Parliamentary polls this time," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Asked if there is a possibility for such an attempt after the Lok Sabha polls, he said: "They have failed after making such attempts, why will they attempt once again? For the last one year they have been making such attempts and have been failing. "According to my information, none of our legislators are ready to get sold. There is no chance for Maharashtra-like changes to take place here."

The chief minister further asserted that the Congress-led INDI Alliance will win the Parliamentary polls and come to power, and in Karnataka the party will win at least 20 out of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats. "They (BJP) have realised that they will lose in the Parliamentary polls and hence they are making such statements. They don't have confidence about winning in the polls, even Narendra Modi (PM) does not have confidence and hence he is speaking whatever comes to his mouth," he added.

Shivakumar said there are doubts about the survival of the Shinde government in Maharashtra after the Lok Sabha polls. "Why did Modi speak about Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena (UTB) chief), because Uddhav Thackeray has strength.....I'm saying this on record that after this Lok Sabha polls, Maharashtra government will lose its strength. "All the MLAs of original Shiv Sena and NCP will go back and there will be original Shiv Sena and NCP back, and both parties along with Congress will come together and there will be our government once again. That's why they are afraid," he said.

Asked whether there is a Shinde-like leader in Karnataka Congress, for the Shinde model operation to replicate here, the KPCC chief said, "they may have such people, there are no such people here on our side..."

Shinde's statements have gained significance as the BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state have several times predicted the collapse of the Congress government after the Lok Sabha polls.

Leaders of the two opposition parties have been hinting at a possible power tussle within the Congress, amid persistent rumours about leadership change in the ruling party in the state after Lok Sabha polls or mid-way of the current Assembly's tenure.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the deputy chief minister. There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become chief minister, while Siddaramaiah had sought public support during the Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress wins maximum number of seats in the state, which would strengthen his position.