Section 144 Imposed As DK Shivakumar Reched Mumbai Hotel; Rebel MLAs Move SC Against Speaker

12 MLAs seven of Congress, three of JD(S) and two Independents are in the city since Saturday after resigning from the membership of the assembly and withdrawing support to the state's coalition government.

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and Karnataka Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar arrived in Mumbai Wednesday morning to make a last ditch attempt to pacify the rebel MLAs stationed here at a Renaissance Mumbai Convention Center Hote in Powai. Mumbai Police prevented Karnataka minister D K Shivakumar from entering hotel where rebel MLAs are staying. Shivakumar alleged hotel authorities cancelled his reservation under state government's pressure. As part of preventive measures, Mumbai police imposed Section 144 at Powai police jurisdiction. On his arrival, Shivakumar told reporters, "Let the Mumbai police or any other force be deployed. We have come to meet our friends. We are born together in politics and will die together." "I will not break the law of this country" he said. On his arrival, the rebel MLAs welcomed Shivakumar with "Go back Shivakumar" slogans.

So much emotions flowing! Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar: I'll not go without meeting my friends. They (Rebel MLAs) will call me. (Rebel MLAs not ready to meet him). Their heart will break. I'm in touch already, hearts of both of us are beating. #KarnatakaPoliticalCrisis

— Pinky Rajpurohit (ABP News) 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) July 10, 2019

12 MLAs seven of Congress, three of JD(S) and two Independents are in the city since Saturday after resigning from the membership of the assembly and withdrawing support to the state's coalition government. Late midnight, ten of the MLAs wrote to the police fearing threat to their lives and asked that Shivkumar be prevented from entering the hotel where they are put up. The political crisis in Karnataka Wednesday reached the Supreme Court as 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs filed a petition alleging that the state Assembly Speaker has been deliberately not accepting their resignations. Resignation if 8 out of 13 MLAs not in format: Speaker The fate of the 13-month-old Congress-JD(S) government led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is hinged on the Speaker's decision on the resignation of the 14 MLAs including Shivajinagar MLA R Roshan Baig who joined the bandwagon of dissidents on Tuesday. "Baig's letter was submitted today and so I have not scrutinised it," Kumar said. "Among these 13 resignation letters (submitted earlier), five are in the prescribed format as per the regulations.