BJP MLAs held captive at resort, says Parrikar Special Correspondent In a dramatic twist to the ongoing political crisis in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Karnataka, senior BJP leader and former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar accused the Congress Government in Goa of holding the Karnataka BJP MLAs captive at a resort.
The group of 14 dissident BJP MLAs arrived in Goa on Thursday afternoon from Mumbai and set up camp at the resort. They were received by Goa Minister for Environment Aleixo Sequeira and Vijay Sardessai, a south Goa Congress leader. Around 8.30 p.m., Mr. Parrikar arrived at the hotel along with over 50 BJP workers and barged into the resort demanding to meet the BJP MLAs. They were stopped by the police at the entrance, but after Mr. Parrikar objected he was allowed to go in and meet the MLAs. Karnataka BJP MP Prabhakar Kore, Karnataka Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy and North Goa BJP MP Shripad Naik arrived at the hotel and held a meeting with nine BJP MLAs in Mr. Reddy's room. Mr. Naik then told presspersons that the MLAs had said that they had no complaints nor did they have any grudges against the party and that they were willing to go back to Bangalore. However, they were not allowed to do so by the local authorities. They were confined to four rooms and they were not even allowed to use their mobiles, Mr. Naik quoted them as saying. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article818487.ece -- Crisis in Karnataka reveals simmering discontent http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_crisis-in-karnataka-reveals-simmering-discontent_1449107 BJP govt swinging to safety http://sify.com/finance/bjp-govt-swinging-to-safety-news-news-kkibEdibije.html BJP top brasses in Karnataka to save Yeddyurappa government http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bjp-top-brasses-in-karnataka-to-save-yeddyurappa-government/410652/ One crisis to another http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article818353.ece -- Goa''s opposition leader camping with K'taka MLAs PTI | 10:10 PM,Oct 07,2010 Panaji, Oct 7 (PTI) Goa's leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar is camping inside a hotel in Benaulim where Karnataka's dissident BJP legislators are reported to have checked in. "Our legislators are held captive here and I have come to rescue them," Parrikar said. The number of BJP activists inside as well as outside the five star hotel, about 40 km from here, kept increasing. About 15 dissident BJP legislators from Karnataka arrived here today via Mumbai and are expected to stay in Goa for the next few days, sources said. The BJP government in Karnataka is facing a crisis after 19 legislators, including 14 from the ruling party, jointly submitted a letter to the Governor withdrawing support and expressing lack of confidence in Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa''s leadership. The first-ever BJP government in South India has been reduced to a minority in the 225-member House following the development. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/goas-opposition-leader-camping-with-ktaka-mlas/389185.html -- Cong forcefully keeping our Karna MLAs in Goa, claims BJP PTI | 10:10 PM,Oct 07,2010 New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) BJP today alleged that Congress had forcefully kept some of its MLAs from Karnataka in a hotel in Goa and was using the state machinery there to prevent its senior party leaders from contacting them. "It is absolutely shocking that Congress is engaging in such undemocratic practices. They have forcefully kept our Karnataka MLAs in a hotel in Goa. This hotel has been surrounded by Congress members and they are not allowing even our Belgaum MP (Suresh Angadi) to reach the MLAs," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said. She alleged that Congress, which is in power in Goa, was using the state police to prevent senior BJP leaders from getting in touch with the MLAs. Sitharaman said Congress had tried similar methods in Andhra Pradesh by forcefully keeping some of NT Rama Rao's MLAs and were "thrashed badly" in the next elections. "Congress is saying it would not engineer any defections but has created this forceful situation. We warn the Congress not to engage in such practices," she said. Asked if the BJP MLAs from Karnataka who are inside the hotel had tried to get in touch with their leaders, Sitharaman said she was trying to get more details. "The MLAs want to get in touch but are not being allowed," she said. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/cong-forcefully-keeping-our-karna-mlas-in-goa-claims-bjp/389186.html -- Yeddyurappa's crown of thorns http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article818191.ece -- Karnataka BJP dissidents taken to Goa PTI | 06:10 PM,Oct 07,2010 Panaji, Oct 7 (PTI) About 15 dissident BJP legislators from Karnataka arrived here today via Mumbai and were taken to an undisclosed location by some Congress ministers, sources said. The legislators flew to Goa from Mumbai and later were taken away by some Congress ministers to an undisclosed location, most probably a five star resort in south Goa, they added. "Yes, they (legislators) are with us", a Minister in the Digambar Kamat government told PTI on condition of anonymity. The local BJP unit, however, had no information about their arrival. "We have no information but what we have learnt from the media is that they were supposed to come to Goa. We are not keeping track of them," BJP Goa General Secretary Govind Parvatkar said. The BJP dissidents are expected to stay in Goa for the next few days, sources said. The BJP government in Karnataka is facing a crisis after 19 legislators, including 14 from the ruling party, jointly submitted a letter to the Governor withdrawing support and expressing lack of confidence in Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa''s leadership. The first-ever BJP government in the South has been reduced to a minority in the 225-member House following the development. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/karnataka-bjp-dissidents-taken-to-goa/388467.html
