Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar hit the headlines early on Wednesday after he was stopped by police from entering the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel in Powai where the 'rebel' MLAs of the JD(S) and Congress are staying.
Shivakumar had announced on Tuesday he intended to meet the rebel MLAs and persuade them to return to Karnataka to end the political crisis in the state, which began after a total of 13 Congress and JD(S) MLAs submitted their resignations last week.
On Wednesday, the Mumbai Police claimed Shivakumar did not have a booking at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel. However, Congress sources have started circulating screenshots of a booking confirmation for Shivakumar for the hotel as well as a cancellation intimation email.
The booking confirmation shows a booking was made for a 'Deluxe Lake View room' for D.K. Shivakumar, with check-in on July 10 and checkout on July 11. The booking reference number shown is REZ775665D2 and was apparently made by a travel agent.
The cancellation intimation is from the assistant reservation manager of the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel. The intimation states the booking made in the name of D.K. Shivakumar had been cancelled by the hotel on account of “some emergency in the hotel”. Both the reservation number and customer name mentioned in the cancellation intimation are the same as that provided in the booking confirmation.
The Congress is expected to use the details of the cancelled booking for D.K. Shivakumar at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel to attack the role of the BJP in aiding the rebel MLAs. Shivakumar had asked how BJP leaders were allowed to meet the rebel MLAs, while he wasn't.
(With inputs from Prathima Nandakumar)