Congress-JDS To Fly Their Flock Out Of Karnataka, Worried About Poaching

Bengaluru, Karnataka: The Congress has decided to move its lawmakers out of Karnataka. Reports suggest they will be flown to Cochin in Kerala.

The Janata Dal Secular has reportedly also decided to fly out its legislators.

BS Yeddyurappa had been sworn in as chief minister of a minority government and has 15 days to close the gap between 104 and 112 - the half way mark.

The Congress and the JDS, who had also staked claim to power declaring a combined strength of 116, are preparing to "protect" their flock for two weeks.

The Congress alleges that one of its lawmakers, Anand Singh, has already been threatened and is under pressure to defect.

"All MLAs are here except Anand Singh," confirmed DK Singh, a Congress MP, at the state assembly Vidhan Souda, where the party's legislators had gathered for a protest.
 JDS Leader HD Kumaraswamy said Anand Singh had been threatened with action by the Enforcement Directorate in an illegal mining case.

"Our plan is to safeguard MLAs. The BJP and their ministers are working to purchase MLAs, people should know about the attitude of the central government," said Mr Kumaraswamy, who had asked Governor Vajubhai Vala to invite him to form government in alliance with the Congress.

Last evening, a busload of Congress legislators was moved around, first to the Governor's house for a possible show of strength, then to the Eagleton Resorts near Bengaluru, a private property that has become a go-to destination for "resort politics".

The lawmakers were constantly on the move as news emerged that the governor had decided to invite BS Yeddyurappa and given him two weeks to prove his majority.

Last year, the Congress had kept its Gujarat legislators in the same resort ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, when its candidate Ahmed Patel was facing a BJP rival and every vote became crucial.

The JDS lawmakers spent the night at the Shangrila hotel in Bengaluru.

The newly elected Karnataka MLAs already had an offer from Kerala on the day the results threw up a hung verdict.

Kerala Tourism, however, was widely seen as ribbing the Karnataka politicians as it tweeted: "After the rough and tumble of the #KarnatakaVerdict, we invite all the MLAs to unwind at the safe and beautiful resorts of Gods Own Country. #ComeOutAndPlay." The tweet was later deleted.