In the 2023 Karnataka election results, Congress won 135 seats and is set to return to power with a clear mandate. On the other hand, BJP and JD(S) settled with 66 and 19 seats respectively.
After the 2018 Karnataka election results too, Congress-JD(S) alliance formed a government in the state. However, the government was short-lived, as 17 MLAs, popularly known as ‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs, joined the BJP after resigning from their assembly constituencies. In the 2023 assembly polls, most of these MLAs lost their seats.
Operation Lotus
In 2018, none of the parties got an absolute majority in the assembly polls. Although the BJP was the single-largest party with 104 MLAs in the 224-member assembly, it fell short of the magic number of 113. Despite being short of the magic number, the BJP was called to form the government.
Following the development, Congress and JD(S) formed an alliance, with a combined strength of 116 MLAs. The alliance had removed BJP from the power in the state. The coalition not only had 76 MLAs of Congress and 37 of JD(S) but also three independents.
However, after a year of the alliance government, 17 MLAs decided to resign from their respective assembly constituencies and join the BJP. This move caused the alliance to lose its majority, and the BJP once again formed the government in the state. This development is commonly known as ‘Operation Lotus’.
When these 17 ‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs were fielded for by-polls, 12 of them won.
‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs in 2023 Karnataka Assembly election
In the 2023 Karnataka polls, the BJP gave tickets to all 12 sitting MLAs and two former legislators from the 17 defectors.
Out of these 14 ‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs, eight lost the election.
Following is list of ‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs who contested 2023 Karnataka Assembly election
- Pratapgouda Patil lost to Congress’ Basan Gouda Turvihal from Maski constituency
- Mahesh Kumathalli lost to Congress’ Laxman Sangappa Savadi from Athani constituency
- Basavanagouda Patil lost to Congress’ Ujaneshwar Basavannappa Banakar from Hirekerur constituency
- Ramesh Jarkiholi won Gokak seat
- N Muniratna won R R Nagar seat
- K Gopalaiah won Mahalakshmi Layout seat
- B A Basavaraj won K R Pura seat
- Shrimant Patil lost to Congress’ Bharamgouda Alagouda Kage from Kagwad constituency
- Shivaram Hebbar won Yellapur seat
- ST Somashekar won Yeshwanthpur seat
- K Sudhakar lost to Congress’ Pradeep Eshwar from Chikaballapur constituency
- KC Narayana Gowda lost to JD(S)’s HT Manju from Krishnarajpet constituency
- N Nagaraju lost to Congress’ Sharath Kumar Bachegowda from Hosakote constituency
- Siddharth lost to Congress’ H.R.Gaviyappa from Vijayanagara constituency
Out of the other three ‘Operation Lotus’ MLAs, two, Roshan Baig and H Vishwanath decided not to contest the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections whereas, R Shanker joined JD(S) in April 2023 after BJP denied him a ticket.
