Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday warned of legal action against Congress leader K. Siddaramaiah and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy for making statements alleging the 17 disqualified MLAs were bought over by his party.
Speaking to reporters at Karwar, Yediyurappa said, "I am planning to file a defamation case. I am gathering all the copies of their statements."
He was replying to a query on Siddaramaiah's statement that the disqualified MLAs were bought over using money power.
"We will quickly start filing defamation case in the court against Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy for their defamatory and irresponsible statements," the Chief Minister said.
He had gone to Karwar to campaign for BJP's Yellapur candidate Shivaram Hebbar.
Yediyurappa said the time has come to teach the two leaders from Congress and the JD(S) for their "derogatory" statements.
Hebbar was previously with the Congress but had resigned from the assembly and was disqualified along with 16 others.
The 17 sitting MLAs' move toppled the coalition government in July and installed the BJP.
After the Supreme Court allowed them to contest the bypolls, Hebbar joined BJP.
On his election campaign, Yediyurappa said he has completed one round of electioneering in all the 15 assembly seats and his second round of canvassing was beginning from Yellapur constituency in Karwar district.
He said he intended to finish the second round of campaigning by December 3.
Expressing confidence about the BJP's victory, the Chief Minister said, "The atmosphere is very much in our favour, way beyond our expectation. We will win all the 15 seats."
Yediyurappa claimed that the Congress and JD(S) leaders were not talking about development.