The BJP connection to Mumbai’s Renaissance hotel where Karnataka rebellion is playing out

Mumbai, July 10: The main action of Karnataka political turmoil has shifted to Mumbai's Renaissance Hotel where the rebel MLAs are staying. Congress strongman D K Shivakumar has also reached Mumbai and now wants to enter the hotel to meet the 'rebels', but these MLAs do not want to meet him.

The rebel MLAs have in fact written to Mumbai police stating they felt 'threatened' as Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar may storm the hotel. This is the situation as it stands right now.

Going back to 2004, it was this very Renaissance Hotel which the BJP had considered to hold a three-day chintan baithak after the poll debacle. The fact that the BJP had chosen a 'swank Mumbai hotel' to reflect on the debacle in 2004 had raised a few eyebrows, considering the austere ways of the ideological mentor RSS.

The TOI had then reported that late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan then said a cheque for Rs 13 lakh handed over to hold a three-day chintan baithak.

Later, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee praised Advani for his incisive analysis at the Mumbai meet. Vajpayee was reportedly miffed with the electoral strategy adopted for 2004 Lok Sabha elections. BJP was shocked by that defeat because in the November 2003 Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, the saffron party came out with flying colours.

Anyhow, what is unfolding in Renaissance Hotel today is nothing short of a Tele Vision drama that has suspense, thrill and gripping storyline.

High drama was witnessed outside Mumbai's Renaissance hotel today. As the MLAs feared, Shivakumar did arrive at the hotel, but was met with protesters and was escorted away by police.

"I have booked a room here. My friends are staying here. There has been a small problem, we've to hold negotiations. We can't go for a divorce immediately. There is no question of threatening, we love and respect each other," reports quoted Shivakumar as saying outside the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel.