The Mumbai hotel where rebel Congress-JDS legislators are lodged cancelled Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar's booking on Wednesday citing "some emergency". In response, the Congressman said he loves the facility and they should be proud of a customer like him.
DK Shivakumar and JD(S) MLA Shivalinge Gowda arrived in Mumbai this morning on a special flight from Bengaluru to meet rebel MLAs staying at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.
Security was heightened outside the hotel in Powai area of Mumbai after the dissidents wrote to Mumbai Police seeking protection.
"They should be proud of a customer like me. I love Mumbai. I love this hotel. Let them cancel. I have other rooms also," said Shivakumar on getting to know about the cancellation.
"They (rebels) will call me. Their heart will break. I am in touch with them already, hearts of both of us are beating," said the emotional state minister.
"We have heard Chief Minister (HD Kumaraswamy) and DK Shivakumar are going to storm the hotel, we feel threatened," the rebel MLAs had written to Mumbai Police.
"We do not want to meet him (Shivakumar), kind request to help us in this matter and do not allow them to enter the hotel premises," the MLAs added in the letter.
Among the MLAs who have signed the letter are Shivram Hebbar, Pratap Gowda Patil, BC Patil, ST Somshekar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Byrati Basavraj, Gopalaiyya, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, and Mahesh Kumutali.
The 13-month old Congress-JDS government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly last week. Independent MLA H Nagesh also withdrew support from the government on Monday.
Latest to join the bandwagon was Congress leader Roshan Baig, who resigned from his membership of state Assembly on Tuesday.
( With inputs from ANI )