Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 31: Gujarat legislators from Congress party, currently huddled in Eagleton resort at Biddai near here, may be taken to a resort in Kodagu district to keep them away from media glare. Sources claim that party leaders are working out a suitable resort in Kodagu district for housing these MLAs, but officially there is no confirmation.

Out of several resorts where these MLAs can be accommodated, the leaders are more interested in a resort at Galibeedu, which is located at a height and hence not easily accessible for media persons and BJP activists, and another one at Kakkabbe situated among lush green coffee estates. Nearness to Madikeri and inaccessibility for outsiders are the two parameters the leaders are looking at, it is gathered. The fact that mobile connectivity is poor in this part of Kodagu is a plus point that works in favour of these two resorts, it is said.

The only minus point about keeping these MLAs in a Kodagu resort is that legislators from Kodagu are from BJP with only one Congress member of legislative council having been elected from there. During the mayoral election for Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, some corporators had been kept at the Galibeedu resort to prevent them from getting lured by other parties.

The party is also thinking on the practicability of taking these MLAs on a sight seeing trip in the state if holing them up in a resort does not work out. Congress wants to keep the MLAs busy and rivals on tenterhooks till they return to Gujarat unscathed. As per information, the legislators from Gujarat want to put this visit to best use by visiting some unique locations in Karnataka, a few of them in the city itself. Minister, D K Shivakumar, who returned from Singapore on Sunday, has taken over the work of monitoring the Gujarat MLAs.

Congress party here, it is said, is awaiting nod from party high command for the tour itinerary of these MLAs, who are expected to be here till August 6. There is also a concern of putting them together again in one lot once they go out on visit in small groups to different places. Although party sources here have been claiming that the legislators have not been restrained or restricted in any way, it is obvious that their movements are being closely monitored and they are not allowed to talk to media persons.