Bengaluru: All seven rebel Janata Dal (S) legislators including B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan and Magadi Balakrishna called on the 42 Gujarat MLAs who are camping in a plush resort in the outskirts of the city.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader disclosed that these rebel leaders had come to the resort only to drive home a point that they are eagerly waiting to join the Congress party. "With knives already out in the JD(S) against these legislators with JD(S) patriarch H. D. Deve Gowda and his son, H. D. Kumarswamy targeting them, the MLAs will not let go any opportunity to send across a message that they are not afraid of the father and son," the source explained.
The legislators spent time with the Gujarat legislators along with Bengaluru Rural MP, D.K. Suresh.
Earlier in the day, two of the Gujarat MLAs who are Muslims, chose to offer Friday prayers at a nearby mosque along with local Congress leaders.
Speaking to reporters, Gayasuddin Sheikh (a Gujarat MLA) told reporters that they went out to perform Namaz as it was a Friday. "All is well inside. Be it health wise or otherwise we are all ok," the Gujarat MLA said.
Mr Sheikh added that most of the legislators felt bad that when AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi was visiting flood affected areas in Gujarat, they had to be away from their people, in Bengaluru.
"We are concerned about our people who are suffering there but the BJP created this situation and therefore we had to come to this safe place," he asserted.
He added that KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar along with KPCC working president, Dinesh Gundu Rao had visited them and also encouraged them by extending full support in their fight to save democracy in Gujarat.
"We discussed the issues with him in a very cordial atmosphere. The news that some MLAs expressed their desire to go back to Gujarat was planted by someone, no one spoke in that manner. We are all united and firm in our resolve to ensure the victory of our leader Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls," he reiterated.
