Karnataka crisis explodes in Delhi & Mumbai: It's Singhvi vs Rohatgi in the SC tomorrow, even as DK Shivakumar is detained at the Congress-JDS MLAs' hotel

Adding the chaos outside the Rennaisance hotel, where the Karnataka Crisis is unfolding, Congress Leader D K Shivakumar, on Wednesday, has been detained by the Mumbai police, as per sources. Sources further report ex-Mumbai Congress chief Deora along with other protestors have been reportedly detained by the authorities and taken to a nearby police station, for flouting the existing section 144 rule applied in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, as per sources, the Karnataka Government will reportedly be represented by SC advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi when the case is heard by the apex court on Thursday.

Milind Deora Reaches Outside Karnataka Rebel MLAs' Mumbai Hotel In Support Of DK Shivakumar, Alleges BJP Is 'misusing Its Power'

Shivakumar camps outside rebel MLAs' hotel

Earlier in the day, D K Shivakumar who had reached Mumbai and was camping outside the Rennaisance hotel, after being denied entry into the hotel by the Mumbai Police to meet the rebel MLAs. In contrast, the rebel MLAs have denied to meet Shivakumar and have approached the police fearing threat to their lives.

On Shivakumar's arrival at the Powai Hotel, he was greeted by protestors supporting rebel MLA Narayan Gowda, chanting 'Shivakumar, go back.'  Shivakumar was escorted back by the police. While Shivakumar had booked a room in the same hotel, the hotel authorities had cancelled Shivakmar's booking stating 'emergency reasons'.

Following this development, Mumbai police had imposed Section 144, which prohibits an assembly of more than 4 people in an area, in Powai Police station limits with effect from July 9 to July 12 (both dates inclusive) because of "likelihood of breach of peace & disturbance of public tranquility", as protestors continued to crowd in front of the Renaissance hotel. 

Congress blames Maharashtra government

Slamming the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government in Maharashtra of indulging in anti-democratic activities, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, in Bengaluru has said that the Mumbai Police is blocking Shivakumar from entering and that they are acting at the behest of the Maharashtra government. 

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, BJP is staging a massive protest against the Karnataka Speaker for delaying the acceptance of the MLAs' resignation while demanding Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy's resignation as he has lost the numbers to maintain a ruling government.

Karnataka Crisis: Mukul Rohatgi-represented Rebel Congress-JDS MLAs Move Supreme Court Against Speaker; Section 144 Imposed At Mumbai Hotel Amid DK Shivakumar Being Adamant To Meet Them

Karnataka crisis moves to SC

On Tuesday, amidst the relocation of the current MLAs to resorts to curb defection, the Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar had said that of the 13 resignations he had received, 8 are not filed according to the law. 

In retaliation, the rebel MLAs, represented by Supreme Court advocate Mukul Rohatgi have filed a plea  before the CJI Ranjan Gogoi accusing the Speaker of having malafide intent of trying to save minority Congress-JD(S) government in the state. 

Rohatgi will be facing peer, Singhvi, who previously represented the Opposition on the EVM issue, as he represents the current ruling Karnataka government. 

Current Scenario of Karnataka state government

On Saturday, 13 Congress-JD(S) MLAs had resigned including 1 Independent. The JD(S)-Congress coalition’s total strength came down to 117 after (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-1 and Independents-1) after Nagesh withdrew his support from the government, besides the Speaker.

If the resignations of the 13 Congress-JD(S) MLAs are accepted by the Speaker, the Congress-JD(S) coalition’s numbers will come down to 104, besides the vote of the Speaker. If the Speaker accepts the 13 resignations, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly will come down to 212 out of 225, which will leave the half-way mark to 106. As the saffron party has 107 MLAs in its support now, it can call a trust vote and form a government in the state