Karnataka Crisis: Congress workers protest with horse outside rebel MLAs' Mumbai hotel

Congress workers Monday brought a horse to protest outside the Sofitel Hotel in Mumbai to signify the alleged horse trading happening in Karnataka. A group of Congress and youth Congress workers assembled outside the hotel and hollered slogans along with banners as 10 out of 13 MLAs of JD(S) and Congress were holed up inside.

The police had made tight security arrangements near the hotel area even as Congress workers congregated outside demanding to meet the MLAs who have tendered their resignations to the Karnataka Speaker. Soon after, the 10 MLAs had boarded a chartered flight to Mumbai and arrived at the hotel in Mumbai late Saturday night, sources close to them said.

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The Speaker has not accepted the said resignations yet. The Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka has plunged into a crisis and the ruling coalition faces the risk of losing its majority if the resignations are accepted.

Meanwhile, Karnataka minister and Independent MLA H Nagesh reached Mumbai Monday, hours after resigning and withdrawing support to the H D Kumaraswamy-led government in the southern state. Nagesh reached the luxury hotel in suburban Bandra, where 10 MLAs of the ruling JD(S) and Congress are staying since Saturday.

Nagesh resigned on Monday and withdrew support to the H D Kumaraswamy-led government, delivering another blow to the shaky JD(S)-Congress coalition ruling Karnataka.He was recently inducted into the state Cabinet as small scale industries minister.

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The Maharashtra BJP has claimed that it was not aware of the presence of 10 dissident MLAs of the Congress-JD(S) combine from Karnataka in Mumbai, even as a saffron party leader was spotted at the hotel where the legislators are put up.

Maharashtra BJP legislator Prasad Lad was seen at the hotel on Sunday and Monday. He did not speak to media.

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