Even as the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Karnataka political crisis is expected on Wednesday, the Congress is finding itself divided on whether it should ask the rebel MLAs to back down or punish them for creating the problem.
At a meeting on Tuesday, which was attended by the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress co-ordination panel chief and CLP leader Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao, the members are said to be for asking the rebels to relent, while informing them of the strict action to be initiated against them.
Immediately after the meeting, the Congress, fearing further poaching by the BJP, moved all its MLAs to a resort near Devanahalli. Dinesh Gundu Rao alleged that the BJP, by indulging in horse-trading, was actually conspiring to get the rebel MLAs disqualified.
“If the rebel MLAs are disqualified, they (BJP) can happily form the government and become Ministers without bothering about accommodating the rebels,” said Rao. He further said “We are worried about their future as they have been in our party for so many years. The BJP is using the rebels for personal gains. They will be neither here nor there.”
Later accusing the principal opposition party BJP of aiding and poaching the Congress MLAs, Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted: “Just heard..the rebel @INCIndia MLA’s in Mumbai are in complete lockdown. Mobiles taken away, can’t step outside, under house arrest.
“They’re now in the clutches of @BJP4India & are sure to get disqualified. Soon they’ll be waiting in queue for B-forms to get BJP ticket.”
Roshan Baig detained
Meanwhile, the special investigation teamw hich is investigating IMA Jewels case detained the suspended Congress MLA Roshan Baig at the Bengaluru airport as he was about to board a chartered plane.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy alleged that BJP State chief BS Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant Santhosh was accompanying Baig when he was leaving. Baig, who represents the Shivajinagar constituency in Bengaluru, was suspended from the Congress for speaking out against the party senior leaders.
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs spent the day watching apex court proceedings on televisions and playing cricket with BS Yeddyurappa at a resort.