To stop MLA poaching, Congress gets buses ready in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: More than winning polls, the hardest part in polls now seems to be preserving MLAS from being poached away by the runner-up rival camp.

The Congress party in Telangana has kept buses ready at a star hotel in Hyderabad to shift its MLAs, if necessary, to stop them from crossing over to the rivals.

Buses of a private travel operator were seen at Taj Krishna hotel, where Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other AICC observers were camping.

The observers were monitoring the counting trend and giving necessary instructions to the state party leaders.

Karnataka Minister K.H. Muniyappa told media persons that no Congress MLA will defect as all are loyal to the party.

Shivakumar along with some Cabinet colleagues arrived in Hyderabad by a special aircraft from Bengaluru late on Friday.

The AICC has appointed Shivakumar, Deepa Das Munshi, Dr Ajoy Kumar, K.J. George and K. Muraleedharan as observers to coordinate the meeting of Congress Legislature Party in Telangana.

Meanwhile, AICC in-charge for Telangana, Manikrao Thakare exuded confidence that the Congress will bag more than 70 seats in 119-member Assembly.

IANS with edits