A day after a minister in the crisis-stricken Kamal Nath government was allegedly stopped by police from entering a resort near here where 19 of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are believed to be holed up, Karnataka Congress' president-designate DK Shivakumar along with him approached the ADGP, seeking help.
Shivakumar, accompanied by Madhya Pradesh ministers Jitu Patwari and Balaram Choudhary, along with Narayan Choudhary, who is father of one of the MLAs Manoj Choudhary, met ADGP Amar Kumar Pandey at the DGP office here.
Narayan Choudhary requested police to give him an opportunity to meet his son and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
Alleging that his son Manoj was forcibly brought here by 'some people' and kept in the resort, Narayan Choudhary said, "Though my son wanted to meet us, he was not allowed by some local people said to be BJP members who threatened us and took us to the local police station for no reason."
"All of us have come from Madhya Pradesh to see my son, who is in the custody of the local people. I request you kindly provide necessary protection to us and allow us to meet my son without any further delay," he added.
MP minister Jitu Patwari was briefly detained along with a few Congress supporters on Thursday as he sought to enter the resort in BJP-ruled Karnataka and had engaged in a heated argument with the police.
Patwari had later called on Shivakumar, considered a troubleshooter for the party, along with Narayan Choudhary and alleged that they were not allowed to meet Manoj Choudhary and were forcefully taken to the police station.
Speaking to reporters after meeting police officials, Shivakumar on Friday said, "We have requested the police to facilitate the meeting of father and the son in a free and fair manner."
He said the father had come here on the request of his son to meet him, but the police did not allow them.
Noting that he has highest respect for the Karnataka police, he said police should allow them to meet his son. "I'm sure that police will be fair," he added.
Responding to a question about reports that MLAs will leave for Bhopal to meet the Madhya Pradesh Speaker, Shivakumar said he has heard about it, but doesn't want to comment.
Regarding the issue of Karnataka Congress extending support to their Madhya Pradesh counterparts, he said, "Our entire life is dedicated for (party). We don't want to make it a big issue. We are patiently waiting for various things."
The 19 legislators, said to be loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia who has joined the BJP, in their letter
to the DGP earlier this week had said they have come to Karnataka "voluntarily" on some "important work".
All 19 had announced their resignation on Tuesday, pushing the Kamal Nath government into a crisis. It is not clear whether all the 19 are staying at the aforementioned resort.
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