NCP slams Fadnavis for 'role' in bid to bring down K'taka govt

Mumbai: The NCP Wednesday accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of helping the BJP in its “conspiracy” of triggering collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka.

The NCP also accused the Fadnavis government of misusing the power after Karnataka minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar was disallowed by police from entering the Renaissance Hotel, where rebel legislators of the latter’s party and the JD(S) have stayed put, in Powai here.

“The BJP is using all its might to trigger the collapse of the Karnataka government. Somewhere, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also playing a role in ensuring the Karnataka government falls,” NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged.

“The chief minister, the state administration is somewhere helping the BJP in the conspiracy,” he added.

The NCP leader saw the prevention of the Karnataka minister from entering the hotel as “violation of the latter’s rights”.

“Any persons can book a room and get into the hotel. He wanted to meet MLAs of his party, but the police did not allow him to meet the legislators. This is clear misuse of power,” Malik said.

High drama was witnessed outside the hotel earlier in the day as Shivakumar was prevented from entering the premises where the rebel MLAs are stationed.

Shivakumar, who was accompanied by senior JD(S) MLAs, told reporters he had booked a room in the hotel, but was not being permitted inside.

On Tuesday midnight, 10 of the 12 MLAs put up in the luxury hotel wrote to Mumbai Police, saying that they feared a threat to their lives, and asked that Shivakumar be prevented from entering the hotel.