K’taka Cong Lawmakers on Foreign Tour Amid Leadership Crisis

BENGALURU:
Amid the leadership tussle in the Karnataka Congress, a batch of Congress legislators, including MLAs and MLCs, left for a foreign trip in the early hours of Wednesday from Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. However, the leaders denied any political motive behind the visit and maintained that the trip was purely personal.

The development has fuelled speculation over an intensifying leadership tussle in the Karnataka Congress. The legislators, considered to be close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have left on a foreign trip. Insiders claim that the tour was organised by leaders from the Chief Minister’s camp to counter leadership change talks reportedly being pushed by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his supporters.

According to sources, the legislators travelled on Malaysian Airlines flight MH 193. They will first land in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and then proceed to Australia.

The MLAs are scheduled to visit Australia and New Zealand and are expected to stay there until March 1. Initially, around 35 legislators were said to be ready for the trip. The number later came down to 21. However, by late night, only 11 legislators ultimately flew abroad, Congress insiders said.

Speaking to the media before departure at the Bengaluru airport, MLA H.D. Thammaiah said, “We thought of going on a foreign trip during the winter session held in Belagavi itself. Whoever was willing has joined us. This is not new; we go on a foreign trip every year. This time it has become news. We take a foreign tour with our families once a year. I have transferred the money to the tours and travels company from my account.”

Former Minister and MLA Puttarangashetty said, “We have not informed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about the foreign trip. Do we need to ask Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar? It is our personal tour. We are not going through any government department.”

Senior MLA Hampanagouda Badarli said, “We are undertaking this foreign trip at our own expense. We are going to see different countries and travel to various regions. This was planned three to four months ago. There is no political connection. Every year, we go on a foreign trip two or three times. Last year we went to Muscat, and before that to European countries and America.”

Congress MLC Vasanth Kumar said, “I have no knowledge about any factions or politics. This trip is neither against nor in favour of any individual. Like-minded legislators have decided to go on a foreign tour, and we are proceeding accordingly.”

Senior MLA Allamaprabhu Patil said, “A foreign tour is a personal matter. I am going with my family. I do not know about others; I am travelling with my family.”

What was initially believed to be a government-sponsored tour has now been clarified as a private visit.

Meanwhile, Minister S.S. Mallikarjun left for Colombia along with his wife and relatives. He departed from Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru with his wife and seven friends and relatives. He first travelled to Phuket in Thailand and from there continued his journey to Colombia in South America.

It can be noted that the Karnataka Congress crisis over the leadership tussle deepened after Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar stated that a decision had already been taken and that CM Siddaramaiah will convey it at an appropriate time.

The remarks on Tuesday created ripples within the ruling Congress party in the state.

Commenting on the foreign trip undertaken by Congress legislators, Shivakumar had said, “I am not aware of any tour programme. I do not know whether they are going abroad in their personal capacity, whether someone is sending them, or whether someone is sponsoring the trip. It is between those sending them and those going on the trip. As the state president, I am not aware of it.”