Resort politics in Karnataka: How it all began and how it is never ending

Bengaluru, July 10: It is resort politics in Karnataka again. 13 rebel MLAs are parked at a hotel in Mumbai after they resigned as MLAs of the Congress and JD(S), which is in a coalition in the state.

In Karnataka, one has witnessed resort politics every year. It has been in the news even when the politics of the state is not concerned. For instance, the MLAs from Gujarat were carted away to Karnataka ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, which Ahmed Patel was facing.

Let us take a look at how it all began:

In the year 1984, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N T Rama Rao rough his legislators to Bengaluru ahead of a crucial trust vote. Rao with the help of Karnataka Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde, kept the MLAs at Nandi Hills for nearly a month.

In the year 2002, it was Vilas Rao Deshmukh who brought all of his MLAs to Bengaluru ahead of a trust vote.

However resort politics hit its peak, when the JD(S) and BJP were in power. After the JD(S) refused to transfer power, Karnataka witnessed an election, which the BJP won. However dissidence set in and Yeddyurappa bore the brunt of the problem several times.

After Yeddyurappa stepped down, he demanded that Sadananda Gowda and not Jagadish Shettar be made the CM. Yeddyurappa moved his MLAs to a resort. Later on in 2012, when Yeddyurappa wanted to oust Gowda and make Shettar the CM, he resorted to a similar tactic.

Following the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections, Yeddyurappa despite not having enough numbers staked a claim to form the government. Ahead of the trust vote, Yeddyurappa moved the BJP MLAs to a resort in Gurgaon, while the Congress shifted its legislators to Bidadi.

In January the Congress shifted its MLAs to Bidadi fearing poaching by the BJP ahead of a very crucial CLP meet. Even during the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat elections, last year, the BJP and JD(S) members were moved to a resort for fear of poaching.

It may be recalled that 50 MLAs from Tamil Nadu were moved to a resort in Kodagu, following the death of J Jayalalithaa. The MLAs were moved after a political crisis hit the state.

This year too, several MLAs have been moved to resorts. While one set is in Mumbai, there is another at Devanahalli.