Rebel MLAs camping in Mumbai take off for Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Sixteen Karnataka rebel MLAs staying at a luxury hotel in Mumbai flew back to Bengaluru on Thursday afternoon to meet the Assembly Speaker, sources said.

The legislators boarded a special flight to the Karnataka capital at 2.50 pm, the sources said.

The development came after the Supreme Court allowed the rebel MLAs of the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka to meet the Speaker at 6 pm to convey to him their decision to resign.

The MLAs were camping here since Saturday evening after resigning as legislators and withdrawing support to the 13-month-old government in the southern state.

High drama was witnessed Wednesday as senior Congress minister in Karnataka, D K Shivakumar, was prevented from entering the hotel where the MLAs were staying.

Police detained Shivakumar and sent him back to Bengaluru after the legislators informed the Mumbai police commissioner that they faced threat from the minister.

At the Mumbai airport Thursday, the legislators were glued to political developments in their home state on television as they completed formalities for their departure.

“The rebel MLAs can now appear before the Speaker in Karnataka. They flew to Bengaluru so that they can meet the speaker and put forth their statement,” a source said.

The MLAs — including those of the Congress, the JD(S) and Independents – were staying at the Renaissance Hotel in Powai after resigning from the Karnataka Assembly and withdrawing support to the coalition government.

They left the hotel at 1.30 pm Thursday and proceeded to the Mumbai airport.