BENGALURU: Congress high command has shot down the tour plans of its Gujarat MLAs who are camping in a luxury resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru.The party has alleged that the BJP has been poaching their lawmakers ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls on August 8. Allowing the MLAs to move out of the resort could prove too risky under the present circumstances, the Congress national leadership is said to have conveyed to Energy minister DK Shivakumar, who is overseeing the stay of the Gujarat MLAs.
Instead, the Congress high command has arranged a three-day orientation camp for the MLAs within the resort, which began on Tuesday. “Dr Suresh Sharma and Naushad Parmar of Jawaharlal Nehru Leadership Institute, New Delhi are conducting the classes,” Shivakumar said.They would be enlightened about the history of Congress, achievements of Congress governments over the decades, BJP’s campaign of lies against the Congress, the need for team work and understanding of social media, he said.
Shivakumar, who was in New Delhi on Tuesday to attend NITI Ayog meeting on implementation of renewable energy projects, is said to have discussed the issue with AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. “Party high command has instructed us to ensure the MLAs remain within the confines of the resort considering the political risk involved if they are allowed to go out,” said a senior Karntaka Congress leader.