Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar, who was on Wednesday detained by Mumbai Police and barred from meeting rebel MLAs staying at a hotel in the city, said it was a "matter of shame" that he was sent back to Bengaluru, and blamed the BJP for the same.
"Mumbai is known for its hospitality. I had booked a room there and was on an official visit to meet my friends and colleagues, but BJP and officials misused their authority. It's a matter of shame," Shivakumar told ANI here.
The Congress leader, who was in Mumbai earlier in the day to meet disgruntled MLAs, said he was being "forcibly deported" to Bengaluru. He, however, exuded confidence and said all disgruntled legislators will return to the Congress-JD(S) fold.
He alleged that he was not allowed to meet the MLAs at the behest of BJP, whose leaders, he alleged, are sitting inside the hotel to prevent him from entering.
The 10 dissident MLAs of Congress and JDS are currently staying at the Renaissance - Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.
Shivakumar, who reached the hotel on Wednesday morning to pacify the rebel MLAs, was forced to sit outside the hotel after being denied entry. However, Mumbai Police detained Shivakumar, Milind Deora and other Congressmen and kept them at Kalinga University rest house.
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The leaders were later released, and the police took Shivakumar to the airport for forcibly sending him back to Bengaluru, informed Office of Congress leader Milind Deora.
The Congress has been accusing the BJP of conspiring to topple Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka. The ruling alliance is making all efforts to protect its government which seems to have fallen short of a majority.
The rebel MLAs had checked into Mumbai's Sofitel Hotel on Saturday and later moved to the Renaissance Hotel in the city on Monday.
The 13-month old Congress-JD(S) government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly last week. Congress' Roshan Baig and independent H Nagesh have also deserted the HD Kumaraswamy government.
The state Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.