DK Shivakumar waits outside Mumbai hotel braving rains, rebels refuse to meet him

BENGALURU: A big drama has unfolded in front of Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai where rebel Congress MLAs are camping with Karnataka Water Resources Minister D.K.Shivakumar waiting outside the hotel braving the rains making futile attempts to meet the MLAs and bring them back to Bengaluru.

In an interesting twist to the tale, the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre in Powai, where Shivakumar had booked a room for himself cancelled it without giving a reason. The hotel management even complained to the police saying the presence of Congress leaders and workers in front of the hotel was hurting their business.

The BJP-ruled Maharashtra Government has deployed policemen in front of the hotel, and the police officers have successfully prevented Shivakumar from entering the hotel. Meanwhile, rebel Congress MLAs such as ST Somashekhar are requesting Shivakumar, through local channels through their mobile phones, to leave the place and return to Bengaluru.

“We have come too far, and there is no question of reconsidering our decision. Friendship is different, politics is different,” Somashekar, a Congress MLA from Bengaluru, told the Water Resources Minister through the media. Former JD(S) state president H.Vishwanath said it was not true that they had been instigated by the BJP, and claimed they have come to Mumbai on their own.

Shivakumar, who is waiting outside the hotel braving the rains said he would not leave the place until he met the rebel MLAs. “Even if i were to collapse here without food, I don't care. There is no question of leaving this place,” he told reporters waiting outside the hotel.

“All of us ministers have resigned, and will make each one of them ministers in the government. I want them to meet me first and return to Bengaluru,” Shivakumar said.

Karnataka is battling a political crisis with 14 MLAs resigning the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition reducing the government to a minority.