JOIN USThe BJP, facing trouble after 18 MLAs withdrew support to the Yeddyurappa-led government yesterday, has whisked away all its loyalists to the Golden Palm Spa and Resort on the city outskirts.
For the BJP rebels, it has also been a case of hopping from city-to-city -- initially operating out of a star hotel in Chennai and then moving to Kochi and later to Goa via Mumbai. The Congress, on its part, is taking no chances and is keeping its legislators together in a resort near Devanahally on the city outskirts.
The JDS, though putting up a brave front that its group of 28 legislators is like "diamond" and nobody can "cut them", is keeping a close watch on them and its relative lower strength in the Assembly is making its task easier, compared to the BJP and the Congress.
Last year, 'resort politics' was on view with Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy leading the dissident campaign against Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. However, the high command stepped in to defuse the crisis.
In the 224-member Assembly, the BJP has a strength of 117 including Speaker,Congress 73, JDS 28, and Independents six.