Bheema Naik claims his phone was switched off on Tuesday leading to rumours that the Congress MLA had gone to the hotel in Mumbai along with three other disgruntled leaders. Bheema Naik visited Congress Legislative Party chairman Siddaramaiah at the Kumara Krupa guest house on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking to TNM, Bheema Naik said, “Just because my phone was switched off for one day does not mean I went and joined the BJP. I have two phone numbers and I was in touch with the leaders yesterday.”
Bheema Naik said that there was a problem with his phone and that he was not approached by the BJP. “I was in Goa for two days. I had gone for a vacation. There was a problem with my phone and I returned to Bengaluru yesterday (Tuesday) evening. The BJP leaders did not contact me and I will not leave the party. I spoke to DK Shivakumar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Zameer Ahmed Khan and Siddaramaiah on my second phone yesterday. I do have certain demands and Siddaramaiah has asked me to meet him this evening (Wednesday) to iron out the differences,” Bheema Naik added.
On January 13, Water Resource Minister DK Shivakumar claimed that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs and had lodged three Congress legislators at a hotel in Mumbai.
Soon after, rumours began doing the rounds that Congress leaders from Ballari, Anand Singh and Bheema Naik, had gone to Mumbai and were threatening to defect.
However, Anand Singh quashed all rumours on Tuesday and appeared before the media along with DK Shivakumar. Minorities Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan also claimed on Tuesday night that Congress leaders gone for a vacation to Mumbai and were coming back on Wednesday.
“Our MLAs went to Mumbai for holidays, they'll be back by tomorrow. As per media, the number is increasing but according to us, it's decreasing. For us, it has come down to 2 from 15-16,” Zameer Ahmed Khan said.