Berth over hearth: Out of hotel, Congress MLAs rush to Delhi to lobby

BENGALURU: Anxious families may have been waiting for a homecoming on Friday as Congress and JD(S) MLAs — corralled in resorts and hotels since results were announced — were “allowed” to go where they pleased after the trust vote. But many legislators had thoughts other than a homely meal and a good night’s sleep. They took the next flight out to Delhi in the hope of moving the high command for a cabinet berth.

Until Thursday, most Congress MLAs had claimed to be homesick and were pressuring the leadership to be allowed to return to their families. But following the trust vote, as discussions began among Congress and JD(S) leaders on distribution of ministries, with talk of the negotiators heading to Delhi next, Congress MLAs saw more merit in rushing to the headquarters.

After dinner with HD Kumaraswamy at the legislature party office in Vidhana Soudha, JD(S) MLAs so far put up at a resort headed home since Kumaraswamy’s will is certain to prevail.

But claimants in Congress for the 21 berths (excluding the deputy chief minister’s post) geared up to push their case. Congress sources said most MLAs checked out of Hilton Hotel on Friday morning. “It’s up to them to decide where they want to go. Most of them have headed for New Delhi to lobby for ministerial posts,” a source said.


A senior MLA from south Karnataka who is also an aspirant for a berth said he would go back to his constituency. “I deserve a minister’s post but I have no godfather in New Delhi. The high command should look at merit and not go by caste and regional considerations,” he said.