High drama in Mumbai as Shivakumar, others detained by Mumbai Police

The coalition crisis in Karnataka, on Wednesday, took a dramatic turn when Karnataka Minister D K Shivakumar, who was on a dharna outside the Mumbai hotel where 10 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were staying, was detained by Mumbai Police.

Along with Shivakumar, Congress leaders Milind Deora were also detained by the police who was accompanying the Karnataka Minister outside the hotel. Both Shivakumar and Deora were escorted away in a police vehicle to the Kalina University rest house.

Shivakumar, who reached the hotel this morning to pacify the rebel MLAs had resorted to sitting outside the Renaissance - Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel after being denied entry. The hotel had cancelled his daylong booking but staff served him donoughts, tea and coffee to the Karnataka minister who settled down to wait outside for over three hours before he was finally detained.

This came after in the wake of Mumbai Police imposing Section 144, prohibiting the assembly of more than four people, in Powai area where the rebel legislators of Congress and JDS are lodged in a hotel.

The 10 dissident MLAs of Congress and JDS are currently staying at the facility, however, they have expressed their wish to not meet Shivakumar.

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.