'We feel threatened': 10 K'taka MLAs seek protection against DK Shivakumar in Mumbai

The letter to the Mumbai Police Commissioner says that they feel threatened by HD Kumaraswamy too.
'We feel threatened': 10 K'taka MLAs seek protection against DK Shivakumar in Mumbai
'We feel threatened': 10 K'taka MLAs seek protection against DK Shivakumar in Mumbai
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The Karnataka political crisis took a new turn on Wednesday morning as the 10 rebelling MLAs at the Hotel Renaissance Powai in Mumbai said they feel “threatened” by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Congress Minister and troubleshooter DK Shivakumar who was attempting to meet the MLAs. 

A letter to the Commissioner of Police in Mumbai signed by 10 Karnataka MLAs, states that, “We the following elected members of legislative assembly of the state of Karnataka are staying at Hotel Renaissance Powai in Mumbai, we have heard that [Chief Minister] Sri Kumar Swamy and DK Shivakumar and others are going to storm in the hotel premises, we feel threatened for the same. We do not want to meet him, kind request to help us in this matter and do not allow them to enter the hotel premises.”

The letter was signed by Shivaram Hebbar, Pratapgouda Patil, B C Patil, Byrati Basavaraj, S T Somashekar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Gopalaiah, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, and Mahesh Kumatahalli.

The rebel MLAs staying in Mumbai have made it clear that they intend to follow through with their resignations.

Three MLAs - Anand Singh, Narayan Gowda and Pratapgouda Patil - will meet the Speaker on Friday, on the day the monsoon session of the Karnataka Assembly is set to begin.

Outside the hotel, Shivakumar was met by protesters and police who did not allow him to enter the hotel. The 10 MLAs were flown to Mumbai on Sunday, and DK Shivakumar has been attempting to pacify the rebelling MLAs since the crisis began. 

When Shivakumar was asked about the letter, he responded, "We believe yesterday [BJP MLAs] R Ashoka and KG Bopaiah forced them to complain against us. We are here to talk in friendly terms."

On Tuesday, Speaker Ramesh Kumar said that he would personally speak to all the MLAs who had given their resignations before taking a decision. According to sources, Congress will use the delay as an opportunity to convince the MLAs to re-pledge their loyalty to the Congress-JD(S) coalition and prevent its collapse. 

13 MLAs of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government attempted to submit their resignation letters to the Karnataka Assembly Speaker, who is the only person who can accept the resignation of elected legislators in the state. 

The strength of the Assembly is 224 including Speaker. With the resignation of 13 MLAs, the quorum will reduce to 211. Following the spate of resignations, the Congress-JD(S) coalition has 104 MLAs while the BJP has 107 MLAs on its side. The coalition does not have the majority to rule the government if the speaker accepts the resignations.

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