<p>Bengaluru: At least 21 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> legislators in Karnataka left for a foreign tour ahead of the state budget on Wednesday, as a power tussle continues within the ruling party.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to present a record 17th budget on March 6, soon after the legislative session begins. The session will continue until March 27.</p>.<p>It is learnt that the MLAs travelling abroad are considered loyal to the CM.</p>.<p>According to Congress sources, 11 MLAs flew out on Tuesday, while 10 others are scheduled to leave for various foreign destinations with their families.</p>.Karnataka power tussle | 'Decision taken, CM Siddaramaiah will reveal it himself': D K Shivakumar.<p>Sources said C Puttaranga Shetty, B Devendrappa, H D Thammaiah, Hampanagouda Badarli, B M Nagaraj, A Vasanth Kumar, D Thimmaiah and Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur are among those travelling abroad.</p>.<p>The legislators are touring Australia and New Zealand. They will first fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and then continue their journey to Australia and New Zealand, sources added.</p>.<p>The MLAs clarified that the trip is personal and has nothing to do with the party or the government.</p>.<p>"We are going on a private tour. It’s just my family and me," Thammaiah told reporters at the Kempegowda International Airport here.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/chikkamagaluru">Chikkamagaluru</a> MLA said the decision had been taken during the Belagavi legislative session.</p>.<p>"Those interested in the tour are travelling. We often go abroad, but this is the first time it has made news," Thammaiah said.</p>.<p>Badarli sought to clarify that all the MLAs were funding the tour themselves and that it had nothing to do with politics.</p>.CM Siddaramaiah to table Karnataka State Budget on March 6; 14-day session to end on March 27.<p>"We travel abroad two or three times. Earlier, we visited Muscat, European countries and the United States," he said.</p>.<p>Puttaranga Shetty said the MLAs would return on March 2 or 3.</p>.<p>Responding to suggestions that those travelling belonged to Siddaramaiah’s camp, Shetty said, "The CM is not aware of our trip. Why drag his name into this unnecessarily?" </p><p>MLAs considered close to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said there was nothing unusual about "common friends travelling abroad together." </p><p>"We too have travelled abroad. What is wrong with that? I was not invited. Our team is different from theirs, but it is not factionalism," MLA H C Balakrishna said.</p>.<p>MLA Ravi Ganiga said no one could remove the incumbent or change the government merely because of a foreign tour, adding that the Congress high command takes appropriate decisions at the right time. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: At least 21 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> legislators in Karnataka left for a foreign tour ahead of the state budget on Wednesday, as a power tussle continues within the ruling party.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to present a record 17th budget on March 6, soon after the legislative session begins. The session will continue until March 27.</p>.<p>It is learnt that the MLAs travelling abroad are considered loyal to the CM.</p>.<p>According to Congress sources, 11 MLAs flew out on Tuesday, while 10 others are scheduled to leave for various foreign destinations with their families.</p>.Karnataka power tussle | 'Decision taken, CM Siddaramaiah will reveal it himself': D K Shivakumar.<p>Sources said C Puttaranga Shetty, B Devendrappa, H D Thammaiah, Hampanagouda Badarli, B M Nagaraj, A Vasanth Kumar, D Thimmaiah and Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur are among those travelling abroad.</p>.<p>The legislators are touring Australia and New Zealand. They will first fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and then continue their journey to Australia and New Zealand, sources added.</p>.<p>The MLAs clarified that the trip is personal and has nothing to do with the party or the government.</p>.<p>"We are going on a private tour. It’s just my family and me," Thammaiah told reporters at the Kempegowda International Airport here.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/chikkamagaluru">Chikkamagaluru</a> MLA said the decision had been taken during the Belagavi legislative session.</p>.<p>"Those interested in the tour are travelling. We often go abroad, but this is the first time it has made news," Thammaiah said.</p>.<p>Badarli sought to clarify that all the MLAs were funding the tour themselves and that it had nothing to do with politics.</p>.CM Siddaramaiah to table Karnataka State Budget on March 6; 14-day session to end on March 27.<p>"We travel abroad two or three times. Earlier, we visited Muscat, European countries and the United States," he said.</p>.<p>Puttaranga Shetty said the MLAs would return on March 2 or 3.</p>.<p>Responding to suggestions that those travelling belonged to Siddaramaiah’s camp, Shetty said, "The CM is not aware of our trip. Why drag his name into this unnecessarily?" </p><p>MLAs considered close to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said there was nothing unusual about "common friends travelling abroad together." </p><p>"We too have travelled abroad. What is wrong with that? I was not invited. Our team is different from theirs, but it is not factionalism," MLA H C Balakrishna said.</p>.<p>MLA Ravi Ganiga said no one could remove the incumbent or change the government merely because of a foreign tour, adding that the Congress high command takes appropriate decisions at the right time. </p>