The Karnataka coalition crisis on Wednesday took another turn today as senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was stopped from entering the Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai where rebel lawmakers are staying.
In a letter, addressed to Mumbai Commissioner of Police, 10 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs said, “We are staying at Hotel Renaissance Powai in Mumbai. We have heard HD Kumaraswamy and DK Shivakumar are going to storm the hotel. We feel threatened. Do not allow them to enter hotel premises.”
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The letter has names of all the 10 MLAs with their signatures. They have also sent the letter to DCP, local police station Powai and management of Renaissance Hotel.
Mumbai authorities responded and the hotel has been turned into a garrison. Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force and Riot Control Police have been deployed at the hotel located in Powai, Mumbai.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Northern Region) Dilip Sawant was also on the spot.
Sources in Mumbai police said that they will not allow DK Shivakumar or anyone to meet the rebel MLAs if they do not want to meet.
The MLAs may, however, soon have to visit Bengaluru. Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday remained firm on his decision that he will consider resignations only once discussed in person. After scrutinising the 13 resignations, tendered by 10 Congress and three Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, speaker rejected eight for not being in proper format. He has asked other five MLAs to meet him over the course of next week.
(With Agency Inputs)
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