DK Shivakumar said that he wants to meet his friends. He said, “I have a room booked there and the police can’t stop me from meeting my friends.”
Mumbai| The effects of political drama in Karnataka are now reverberating all the way in Mumbai as well. The hotel where the Rebel MLAs are camped saw dramatic scenes this morning as cops refused to let Congress leader DK Shivakumar inside.
Shivakumar who landed in Mumbai today headed straight to Rennaissance hotel in Powai where the 10 rebel MLAs are staying. However, the state police stopped him outside the hotel gate and escorted him away.
Also Watch: Editorial With Sujit Nair : 11 Karnataka MLAs Resign
Talking to reporters while police were escorting him, Shivakumar said that he wants to meet his friends. “I have room booked there and the police can’t stop me from meeting my friends,” Shivakumar said. Stating that he is unarmed, DK Shivakumar said, “I don’t have any weapon. All I have is love.” However, his message of love wasn’t enough for the Mumbai Police. The city police department had already beefed up security outside the hotel.
Rebel MLAs letter to Mumbai Police Commissioner:
Ten rebel MLAs from the Congress-JD(S) combine have written to the Mumbai police commissioner expressing fears of a threat to their lives during visits of Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Congress leader D K Shivakumar here on Wednesday.
Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar on Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel cancels his booking: They should be proud of a customer like me. I love Mumbai. I love this hotel. Let them cancel. I have other rooms also. pic.twitter.com/QWWTZ2Ciuj
— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019
The letter signed by 10 MLAs said they have heard that Kumaraswamy, DK Shivakumar and others are going to storm the hotel premises they are staying in and they feel threatened by this.
The letter stated that the MLAs were not willing to meet the two leaders and wanted the police not to allow them to enter the hotel premises.
DK Shivakumar’s Message:
Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar who had reached outside the Rennaissance hotel again alleged this to be ‘BJP plot’. Responding to the hotel cancelling his booking, he said, “They (The Hotel) should be proud of a customer like me. I love Mumbai. I love this hotel. Let them cancel. I have other rooms also.”
Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar: I'll not go without meeting my friends. I can't go by you (rebel Karnataka MLAs not ready to meet him), they'll call me. Their heart will break. I'm in touch already, hearts of both of us are beating https://t.co/LrwvHnQnfP
— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019
When told that the rebel MLAs don’t want to meet him, he said, “They’ll call me. Their heart will break. I’m in touch already, hearts of both of us are beating.”
Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai:
On Saturday, as many as 12 MLAs from Congress-JDS coalition resigned from their posts. The mass resignation brought the state govt on the verge of collapse. Ten of the rebel MLAs then flew down to Mumbai the very same day. They were camped in Mumbai’s Sofitel hotel until the speaker decides on the resignation. On Monday, there were reports that they will be shifted to Goa.
Also Read: Mumbai to Goa: After 2 days stay at Luxury hotel in the city, Rebel Karnataka MLAs to be shifted to Goa
However, later it was clarified that the MLAs have shifted to Powai’s renaissance hotel and are still in Mumbai. Several Maharashtra BJP leaders were also spotted at Sofitel hotel sparking the speculations of ‘Operation Kamal’.
In the last ditch effort, all the Ministers from Karnataka government resigned to make way for the rebel MLAs. The rebels are still unconvinced and are firm on their resignation.
Appeal to Supreme Court:
The Rebel MLAs who had resigned from the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka assembly have moved the Supreme Court against the Speaker. According to the MLAs, the Speaker “abandoned his constitutional duty” and “deliberately delaying acceptance”.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter tomorrow. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi took note of the submission of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the rebel MLAs, and assured him that it will see whether their petition can be listed for an urgent hearing tomorrow.
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