As the fort started crumbling, the Congress leadership has moved around 44 Gujarat MlAs to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru fearing poaching ahead of Rajya Sabha elections on August 8 in Gujarat.
Karnataka Congress is taking care of the MlAs and they are expected to tour in around Bengaluru. According to sources in the Congress, the MlAs have been kept in a resort under full watch, thus, making them impossible to move out of the resort. However, a Congress MP DK Suresh, who is incharge of them, has said that they have come here to take the blessings of the almighty to save the democracy.
Speaking to media in Bengaluru he said “our leaders from Gujarat have come to Karnataka for resting and tour the places. We are organsing tours for them and we are also taking them to few religious places.” “They want to visit few religious places and they want to seek almighty ‘s blessings to save Gujarat and democracy,” he added.
Nishit Vyas, the Gujarat General Secretary of the Congress has told the media in Bengaluru that they have shifted the 44 MlAs to Bengaluru. The Gujarat MlAs have been shifted to Karnataka which is a Congress-ruled State and they are kept in full glare.
Vyas said, “It was for the safety and security of the MlAs who are being threatened if they do not agree to switch sides”.
Of the 57 Congress MlAs ahead of August 8 Rajyasabha elections, which is crucial for Congress leader Ahmed Patel six of them have already left them and three have joined the BJP. BJP national President Amit Shah and Minister Smriti Irani are contesting from Gujarat.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has declined to comment on the political development in Gujarat. Police have been deployed around the resort for security.
According to a senior Congress leader the legislators would be kept in full watch and they would not be allowed go anywhere. He said, “the Karnataka Congress has taken the responsibility of the Gujarat Congress MlAs who are put up in a resort outside the city. They will be taken to many tourist places till they return to Gujarat.”
The leader also said they are in touch with the Congress high command which is worried over the latest development in Gujarat. They have instructed the State leaders to keep a watch on the MlAs who are vulnerable to the BJP’s game plan.
BJP after the successful operation in Bihar are now concentrating Gujarat which is crucial for their mantra to make Congress Mukth Bharath. The BJP is also planning to work out a strategy to makin inroads into Karnataka in the ensuing assembly polls which is crucial for both the parties. BJP leader Amit Shah is visiting Bengaluru in August to work out a strategy for Karnataka. With this development the ruling Congress led by chief minister Siddaramaiah is playing a major role in shifting the Gujarat MlAs to Karnataka.