Cong MLAs camping at Lonavala resort

The 73-strong group of Congress legislators, accompanied by several party workers, came from Bangalore to Pune around 2 am by a Jet Airways flight. From the airport, they drove straight to Amby Valley, the luxury private city built by Sahara Group, around 20 km away on the outskirts of Lonavala.

“All the legislators are safe and fine,” Karnataka Congress general secretary M Ramchandrappa, who accompanied them, said. “We plan to stay here till Sunday night and expect to be present during the vote of confidence in the State Legislature slated next Monday,” he added.

All grand

The resort is known for its grandeur and celebrities like cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar have their bungalows worth crores of rupees there. The valley boasts of a small aerodrome and one can take a chartered plane or helicopter from Mumbai airport and land there in 20 minutes.

The tariff for a room in the Amby Valley ranges between Rs 11,000 and 26,000 per night. Congress Rajya Sabha member Anil Lad from Karnataka is said to have made arrangements for stay at Amby Valley.

It is learnt that one of the legislators fell ill shortly after arrival and was being attended to by the Amby Valley medical staff. Incidently, the Maharashtra unit of the Congress was kept in dark about the arrival of the Karnataka Congress legislators. MPCC president Manikrao Thakre denied knowledge of the developments.