Karnataka LIVE: DK Shivakumar Stopped from Entering Mumbai Hotel Amid 'Go Back' Slogans; Rebel MLAs May Move SC Against Speaker Today

Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar speaks to the media outside the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.

Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar outside Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel: Nothing is permanent in politics. There're no friends&no enemies.Anyone can turn at any moment.I'm trying to contact them(rebel MLAs).I'll get a call.Their heart is beating to meet their friend. pic.twitter.com/2cdXiSn4dk

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

Shivakumar's Hotel Booking Cancelled | D K Shivakumar’s booking at Hotel Renaissance in Mumbai has been cancelled. However, he remains positive of resolving the issues with the rebel MLAs. “I am expecting a call from the MLAs. Their heart is beating to meet me. They will either have to meet me here or else they will have to come to Bengaluru.

Rebel MLAs Likely to Move SC | The rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs are likely to move the Supreme Court against the Karnataka Assembly Speaker today. They are alleging that Speaker Ramesh Kumar has failed in his constitutional duty and he is wrongfully not accepting their resignations. The matter is likely to be mentioned before the Chief Justice of India at 10.30 am.

"We are not here to threaten them. We are here to meet them.. if we do something to them then take action against us. We have only come to speak to them," he further says.

Gowda further claims, "R Ashok and Bopaiah came here last night and arranged everything. BJP is in power here, BJP wants to come to power in Karnataka. They are trying from a year. We dont know what they have offered to the MLAs."

Shivalinge Gowda Speaks Out | JD(S) MLA Shivalinge Gowda says, "The hotel management has asked the cops to not allow us inside. We have booked a room. We have also shown them the details. Cops are telling us that hotel management has told us not to let us in."

Jarkiholi Calls Out the 'Drama' | Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi says, “D K Shivakumar is lying. He is doing drama. We had informed him earlier that we don't want to meet him. We have only resigned from our posts and not from Congress. What does he mean that he is our friend? This has been going on for over a year, where was he then?”

Siddaramaiah has alleged BJP hand behind the political drama in Karnataka.

@BJP4Karnataka and @BJP4India are offering money, position & misusing central agencies to destabilise our govt. This is an attempt to gain backdoor entry to form unethical govt just as they did between 2008-13. Though they lack capability & eligibility, they are being selfish.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 9, 2019

Karnataka Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah had said in a tweet yesterday, "Some of our MLAs have fallen into the trap of BJP Karnataka and I am not sure whether they are aware of the anti-defection law. The laws are clear that those who resign from the MLA post cannot hold any ministerial berths or chairmans to boards and corporations."

Cong Troubleshooter Plays it Cool | D K Shivakumar spoke to the media after being turned away from the gates of the hotel in which the rebel MLAs are staying. “Mumbai police are good hosts they are calling me to stay at another guest house. Everything is cool, there is no tension. We are waiting to go inside.”

JD(S) leader G T Devegowda, who is in Mumbai along with Shivakumar, says, “The police is not allowing us to enter. MLAs are not afraid. But BJP leaders are allowed to enter the hotel, how?”

BJP Dharna Outside Vidhan Soudha | Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa says, "We have decided to sit on dharna in front of Vidhana Soudha. We will meet the Speaker and the Governor."

BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa in Bengaluru, #Karnataka: We have decided to sit on dharna in front of Vidhana Soudha. We will meet the Speaker and the Governor. pic.twitter.com/B7gvTWCkP6

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

Shivakumar Stopped From Entering Hotel | Visuals from outside the hotel in Mumbai on arrival of Congress minister D K Shivakumar. He has been stopped from entering the hotel and escorted away from the gates. 

Police escorts Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar away from the gates of Renaissance - Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel where 10 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying. The MLAs had written to Police stating"We've heard CM&DK Shivakumar are going to storm the hotel,we feel threatened" pic.twitter.com/KCPmJzZjPH

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

Shivakumar Go Back | Meanwhile, supporters of JD(S) leader Narayan Gowda protest outside Renaissance hotel and raise slogans of  "Go back, Go back" as Shivakumar arrives at the hotel.

#Mumbai: Supporters of JD(S) leader Narayan Gowda outside Renaissance hotel raise slogans of "Go back, Go back" as Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar is expected to arrive at the hotel shortly. (Pic-3: file pic of Narayan Gowda) pic.twitter.com/ZryBynfPrL

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

"We can't go for a divorce immediately. There is no question of threatening, we love and respect each other," he says.

DK Shivakumar,outside Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre 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&respect each other pic.twitter.com/RRcazlhbRq

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

Shivakumar Reaches Hotel | D K Shivakumar, who has reached the hotel, says, "I have booked a room in this hotel. The mlas here are my friends. They have a personal problem and I have come here to solve it. No one is being threatened. BJP leaders came here yesterday why cant I come to meet them?"

Venugopal Confident of Overcoming Crisis | AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal says, "Congress is not in a difficult position. It is strong enough to deal with this situation. Its unfortunate that some people doing this but we will handle."

Current Status and Possible Scenario | The ruling 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 resigned from the ministry on Monday, 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.

Sonia Gandhi to Top Leaders | UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has asked the central party leaders to find a way out to save the government.

The Congress rushed senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and BK Hariprasad to Bengaluru yesterday to help defuse the crisis amid reports that some more MLAs including Sowmya Reddy, daughter of rebel Congress leader and party veteran Ramalinga Reddy, may join the dissident ranks.

Relief to the Coalition Government | The embattled Congress-JD(S) coalition government heaved a sigh of relief yesterday after the state Assembly Speaker held that the resignations of nine out of 14 rebel MLAs are not in order. Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar said the resignation letters of 9 MLAs were not in the prescribed format and he has asked them to submit the letters properly.

Copies of the letter by the rebel MLAs have been marked to Zone 10 deputy commissioner of police, senior inspector of Powai police station and the management of the hotel they are staying in.

10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs write to Mumbai Commissioner of Police stating "We are staying at Hotel Renaissance Powai in Mumbai, we have heard HD Kumaraswamy & DK Shivakumar are going to storm the hotel, we feel threatened. Do not allow them to enter hotel premises" pic.twitter.com/rvMa2If8eH

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2019

Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar is currently on his way from the airport to the hotel. He may not be allowed inside the premises of the hotel.

Mumbai Police: Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar will not be allowed inside hotel where 10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying. He will not be stopped before the gates of the hotel. pic.twitter.com/CUAG1RrsNG

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

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. Security has been increased outside the hotel they are staying in.

Mumbai: Security increased outside Hotel Renaissance in Powai where 10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying. The MLAs had earlier written a letter to Mumbai Commissioner of Police stating "We've heard CM & DK Shivakumar are going to storm the hotel, we feel threatened" pic.twitter.com/j0vp3pAQCm

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2019

MLAs Unwilling to Meet Shivakumar | 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 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.

Threat to Life | The 10 rebel MLAs from the Congress-JD(S) combine have written to the Mumbai police commissioner expressing fears of threat to their lives during visits of Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Congress leader D K Shivakumar today.

On reaching Mumbai, Congress' key troubleshooter D K Shivakumar says, "We have come to meet our friends...are bound by politics. They are our party men. I don't care if Mumbai Police or CRPF have been deployed,let them do their duty. We are here to say hello to our leaders."

Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar and JD(S) MLA Shivalinge Gowda arrive in #Mumbai; Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force & Riot Control Police are deployed outside the hotel where 10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying. pic.twitter.com/DB2RfDJiDm

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

Security Tightened Amid Tensions | In view of heightened tensions, Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force and Riot Control Police have been deployed outside the hotel where 10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying.

Rebel MLAs Adamant | The rebel MLAs, however, appeared undeterred by the Congress's disqualification move and said there was no question of them withdrawing resignations. "There is no question of us withdrawing resignation. We have resigned voluntarily and have not indulged in any anti-party activity," Congress MLA ST Somasekhar told reporters.