Margaret Alva may have lost out on mass support in Karnataka, but the Bharatiya Janata Party still feels that she could be a trump card for them in an election year.
Operation Kamala (Lotus), which was introduced in Karnataka to rope in Janata Dal-Secular and Congress leaders, is back and this time the BJP is looking to net Margaret Alva whose resignation to the post of All India Congress Committee general secretary was accepted on Wednesday.
R Ashok, senior BJP leader and minister in the B S Yeddyurappa cabinet, on Wednesday said that Operation Kamala would continue and there is no question of it stopping. He said the Operation would focus particularly on Margaret Alva and Congress MP Ambarish.
D Sadanand Gowda, Karnataka BJP president, told rediff.com that the party is open to any Indian joining it.
"I would not like to take names here directly but even Margaret Alva is free to join our party. However, the only condition would be that she would have to abide by the ideology of the party."
Gowda added that no personal invitation is being handed out to anybody, but our doors are open to all provided they follow our condition.
What the BJP wants:
Even as the BJP watches the developments closely in the Congress circles, party officials say the entry of Alva into their party would go a long way in helping them. The BJP is ready to give her a ticket to fight the elections as it desperately needs a Christian face in the party.
With H T Sangliana the only Christian face in the BJP proving to be not so loyal, the party sees hope in Alva.
Sangliana had spoken very critically of the party during the church attacks incident and also had cross-voted in favour of the Congress at the time of the trust vote.
Moreover, BJP will also be looking to utilize the services of Alva in terms of strategy during the forthcoming elections.
Alva was part of the Congress think-tank and could provide vital information regarding the Congress strategy during the elections.
