Trust vote: Cong to shift MLAs to another location

On the back of BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa's claim that some more legislators may resign, the Congress is mulling shifting its flock to a resort in Devanahalli on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Yeddyurappa has claimed that other 2-3 MLAs were likely to resign ahead of the confidence motion that will be taken up in the Legislative Assembly on July 18.

At present, the Congress MLAs are kept in Vivanta by Taj in Yeshwanthpur. The party is now considering shifting them to the Prakruthi resort in Devanahalli, close to the Kempegowda International Airport.

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"The BJP is still trying to lure our MLAs. Ahead of the trust motion, we want all our MLAs to be together. We've also requested the Home Minister and the state police chief for protection," Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao said after a meeting with party leaders and legislators.

He said he was "still confident" that the Congress-JD(S) government would survive. "The whip is in force. So the likes of Ramalinga Reddy will come and vote in our favour," Rao said. Asked about other rebel MLAs who have tendered resignation, he said: "They'll come. Let's see what happens. In my opinion, they'll be stranded. I don't know if the BJP will give them tickets to contest elections."

Rao appealed to the rebels to come back, while also clarifying that the party had no plans of deploying leaders to Mumbai, where they are holed up, for truce talks.

As many as 16 rebel MLAs - 13 from the Congress and three JD(S) have tendered resignation. Also, two Independents have withdrawn their support, reducing Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's government to a minority at 101. The BJP, with a tally of 107, is waiting in the wings to form its government.

However, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar is yet to decide on the resignations. Also, all eyes are on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing scheduled Tuesday on a petition filed by the rebels seeking a direction to the Speaker to decide on their resignation soon. The Congress has also moved a petition seeking disqualification of the rebel MLAs.