Rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs Move Supreme Court As Shivakumar Refuses to Budge Outside Their Hotel

Mumbai Police had said the Congress leader would not be allowed into the hotel.

Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar arrived at the Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai on Wednesday morning to meet 10 of the rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs. Mumbai Police said the Congress leader would not be allowed into the hotel where the MLAs are staying.

Here are the live updates:

11.05 am: Not interested in meeting him Shivakumar, no one from BJP is here, says another rebel Congress leader

10.55 am: Request him to understand why we cannot meet him today, says rebel Congress leader B Basavaraj

10.45 am: Rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs move Supreme Court

The rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs have moved the Supreme Court against the Speaker’s rejection of their resignation. The top court will hear the matter tomorrow, reports said.

10.40 am: How can I be a threat to the MLAs? We are friends, says Shivakumar

Shivakumar said he will not leave without meeting the MLAs, PTI reports.

“I only have a heart that I have come to extend to my friends...politics is an art of possibility,” he said.

There was a massive police presence outside the hotel where a group was seen shouting “Shivakumar go back”.

“I am not afraid of slogans against me. Not being permitted inside because of security threat. I have a lot of respect for the Maharashtra government. I don’t have weapons,” he said.
“How can I be a threat to the MLAs. We are friends. If the BJP is not involved, why so many policemen are here. I have a heart, and no weapons,” he said.

10.27 am: Hotel cancels Shivakumar’s booking

TV reports say the hotel has cancelled the Congress leader’s reservation at their establishment.

10.21 am: Shivakumar still outside Mumbai hotel

8.57am: BJP to sit dharna in Bengaluru, says Yeddyurappa

In Bengaluru, BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa in Bengaluru said, “We have decided to sit on dharna in front of Vidhana Soudha. We will meet the Speaker and the Governor.”

8.51am: Shivakumar escorted away from Mumbai hotel

8:43 am: No question of threatening, says Shivakumar outside MLAs’ hotel

“I’ve booked a room here. My friends are staying here. There has been a small problem, we’ve to hold negotiations. We can’t go for a divorce immediately. There is no question of threatening, we love and respect each other,” he told reporters as he arrived at the hotel.

Background

Ten rebel MLAs from the Congress-JD(S) combine on Tuesday wrote to the Mumbai police commissioner expressing fears of threat to their lives during visits of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Wednesday, PTI reported.

ANI reports the Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force and Riot Control Police have been deployed outside the Renaissance Hotel in Powai where the MLAs are staying.

Shivakumar told reporters outside the Mumbai airport on Wednesday that he would not be deterred. “Let Mumbai Police or any other force be deployed. Let them do their duty. We’ve come to meet our friends. We were born together in politics, we will die together in politics. They are our party men. We have come to meet them,” he said.

The letter signed by 10 MLAs said they have heard that Kumaraswamy , Shivkumar 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.

The signatories of the letter are Shivram Hebbar, Pratap Gowda Patil, B C Patil, Byrati Basavraj, S T Somshekar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Gopalaiyya, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda and Mahesh Kumutali.

The copies of the letter were marked to Zone 10 deputy commissioner of police, senior inspector of Powai police station and the management of the hotel they are staying in, PTI’s report said.