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Prathima Nandakumar
Prathima Nandakumar

BENGALURU

Cong flies 44 Gujarat MLAs to Bengaluru

congress-mlas-bnglor Gujarat Congress MLAs arrived at the Bengaluru international airport late last night. D.K. Suresh (state minister D.K. Shivakumar's brother), an MP from Bangalore Rural escorted them to Eagleton township and resort near Bidadi, Bengaluru | Sourced image

Fear of “Operation Lotus” has forced the Gujarat Congress to pack off its 44 MLAs to Congress-ruled Karnataka. Veteran Congressman Shankarsinh Veghela bid adieu to the party. Six Congress legislators and his loyalists quit the party and also the assembly. The Congress is desperately trying to hold on to the numbers to ensure a victory for party loyalist Ahmed Patel in the crucial Rajya Sabha elections (to three seats) on August 8.

The MLAs who landed in Bengaluru airport in the wee hours of Saturday, were quickly ferried into Eagleton—a golf resort in Bidadi, a three-star resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru. It is learnt that the MLAs flew into IT city in two batches—one from Rajkot via Mumbai and the other on a direct flight from Ahmedabad on Friday night.

Congress MP from Bangalore Rural, D.K. Suresh (brother of senior Congress leaders and energy minister D.K. Shivakumar), who is overseeing the arrangements, maintained that the MLAs from Gujarat were on a pilgrimage and would be visiting Mysuru and Kodagu to offer prayers.

“They are our party leaders and now our guests. However, they are here to save democracy in Gujarat,” said Suresh, adding that their travel itinerary was yet to be finalised.

The Congress party stands cornered in Gujarat as the BJP, which is fielding party chief Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani, suddenly decided to field a third candidate—Balwantsinh Rajput (who quit the Congress and joined the BJP)—against Patel, who is seeking re-election. The party is worried that there will be horsetrading and is hence trying to keep its flock together.

In the 132-room resort, where a deluxe room could cost anywhere between Rs 7,000 to Rs 9,000 per day, the Congress government spending huge money to keep 44 MLAs for the next nine days is a sad reminder of the growing menace of “resort politics”, the recent one being reported from Tamil Nadu, after the AIADMK split.

The resort has now turned into a fort as there is a make-shift police control room and police deployment too. By noon, the MLAs were treated to a sumptous vegetarian buffet with roti, naan, kulcha, dal, mushroom manchuri, vegetable curry, jeera rice and dessert (jalebi). They have been asked to abstain from making phone calls.

By evening, some of the MLAs are said to have expressed displeasure over remaining lodged in a luxury resort, even as Gujarat was buckling under the flood fury.

The legislators are under constant surveillance as the AICC general secretary and Karnataka incharge K.C. Venugopal and Shivakumar (who is on a foreign tour) are keeping a close watch, say sources.

A verbal spat broke out between the group and their manager Naresh Rawal over the use of mobile phones. According to sources, some MLAs were unhappy with the leaders confiscating their mobile phones. By evening, at least three MLAs were reported to have insisted on returning to Gujarat.

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