Mumbai Hotel Housing Rebel Karnataka MLAs Turns Into Fortress

The picturesque Mumbai hotel where the rebel MLAs from Karnataka are staying, has virtually turned into a fortress.

The picturesque Mumbai hotel where the rebel MLAs from Karnataka are staying, has virtually turned into a fortress. ANI Photo

MUMBAI: The picturesque Mumbai hotel where the rebel MLAs from Karnataka are staying, has virtually turned into a fortress. A batch of legislators after resigning from the state Assembly had reached Mumbai by a chartered flight on Saturday from Bengaluru, and is staying in the Renaissance Hotel in suburban Powai, where police personnel could be seen at the entire stretch from its main gate to the entrance. A large contingent of media persons was also camping outside the hotel. Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who had booked a room in the hotel was barred from entering as his reservation was cancelled "due to some emergency" by the management. No charges will be applicable, the hotel said in an e-mail. After standing outside for a few hours, the Karnataka Water Resources Minister could only manage to sit on the hotel's compound wall with his feet over a storm water drainage opening. Security was stepped up outside the luxury hotel since morning when Shivakumar, the Congress' troubleshooter, insisted on meeting the rebel MLAs in a desperate bid to pull the Congress-JD(S) Karnataka government from the brink of collapse. Every vehicle entering the hotel premises was being thoroughly checked, including those of a few local Congress leaders who arrived at the property. Mumbai Congress leader Ganesh Yadav was the first party leader from Maharashtra to meet Shivakumar around 11 am. Later, local Congress MLA Naseem Khan, and party leaders Milind Deora and Sanjay Nirupam arrived at the site at around 1 pm. In a blow to the Kumaraswamy led Congress-JD(S) government, the number of coalition MLAs who have resigned has increased to 14,with the addition of R Roshan Baig on Tuesday. Of the 14 MLAs,11 are from Congress and three from JD(S). The ruling coalition faces the threat of losing its majority if the resignations of the rebel MLAs are accepted. The JD(S)-Congress coalition's total strength is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37 and BSP-1), besides the Speaker. With the support of the two independents, who Monday resigned from the ministry, the BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224 member House, where the half-way mark is 113. If the resignations of the 14 MLAs are accepted, the coalition's tally will be reduced to 102. The Speaker also has a vote.