Rebel Karnataka MLAs in Mumbai fear threatened, hoot senior Cong leader DK Shivakumar

Mumbai: Karnataka Congress senior leader and minister D. K. Shivakumar got a jolt on Wednesday as he was hooted outside a five-star hotel here when 10 Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) rebel MLAs said they felt threatened by him.

In a letter to the Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve late on Tuesday, the legislators said they apprehended threats as they had heard that “Karnataka leaders like Kumar Swamy and Shivakumar and others were going to storm the hotel premises” and pleaded for security.

“We feel threatened for the same. We do not want to meet him, kind request to help us in this matter and do not allow them to enter the hotel premises,” the letter said.

It was signed by Shivram Hebbar, Pratap Gowda Patil, B.C. Patil, Byrati Basavraj, S.T. Somshekar, Ramesh Jharkiholi, Gopalaiyya, H. Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda and Mahesh Kumutali. Copies of the letter were sent to the local Zone X DCP, Saki Naka Police Station and the hotel management.

Meanwhile, as Shivakumar reached the hotel to meet the wayward legislators holed up there earlier in the day, he was greeted with slogans of “Go Back” by some of the legislators and their supporters.

He was not allowed to enter the Hotel Renaissance in Powai by the police though he claimed to have a suite booked there.

Tight security has been deployed in and around the hotel premises and leaders of all political parties, the media and others have been kept completely out of bounds.

In a hoodwinking move, the rebel Congress-JD(S) legislators from Karnataka have spread out in different parts of Maharashtra with one group in Mumbai and another in Satara.

A batch of 12 legislators had reached here by a chartered flight on Saturday from Bengaluru, followed by one MLA each on Sunday and Monday, including an Independent, and were staying at the Sofitel Hotel in Bandra Kurla Complext (BKC).

Late on Monday, all 14 quietly were said to be headed for Goa by road, but midway a few more rebel legislators joined them in Satara.

From that group, around 10 returned to Mumbai and are now staying in the Renaissance Hotel in suburban Powai, while the remaining are still in Satara, but could shift to Goa.

Though the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has denied any role in the Karnataka political developments, at least two leaders have been seen going in and out of both the Mumbai hotels, adding to the confusion.

All the legislators currently on the move now are expected to reach Bengaluru by Friday.

Updated on: July 10, 2019 at 10:20 IST  |  Published on: July 10, 2019 at 09:25 IST

IANS