Resort politics: Ten dissident MLAs leave for Mumbai

Bengaluru: Resort politics returned to haunt the Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka with ten MLAs, who submitted their resignation, leaving for Mumbai Saturday.

These MLAs are likely to stay in a Hotel there, sources close to them said.

They left by a chartered flight, they said.

The coalition government plunged into a crisis on Saturday with 13 MLAs of the alliance submitting their resignation to the Speaker.

in a release, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said “Me and my party have nothing to do with the developments in other rival parties.

I have heard through media that Congress and JD(S) legislators have resigned from their assembly seats.”

He said his party was busy with its membership drive.

The BJP state chief maintained “One thing I can say that people are not ready for elections. Elections are a burden on state exchequer.”

BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan denied reports that he was coordinating the MLAs travel and stay in Mumbai.

“The MLAs have gone on their own. BJP has nothing to do with it,” Ashwath Narayan told PTI.

Earlier in January, ahead of a crucial CLP meeting, Congress had shifted its MLAs to a resort in the State fearing poaching by BJP.

The Congress Legislature Party meeting was a show of strength against BJPs alleged bid to dislodge the ruling coalition.with the party’s decision of lendingsupport to JD(S).

Gujarat Congress MLAs too had camped in the state in 2017 as Congress feared defection of MLAs ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

Before that during the Mysuru Zila panchayat election, BJP and JD(S) members had camped in the same resort, fearing poaching.