Bihar Congress MLAs camping in resort outside Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Congress MLAs from Bihar, who arrived here amid fears of poaching by the BJP-led NDA, were camping on Monday at a resort at Ibrahimpatnam on the city outskirts.

Telangana Congress sources said the number of visitors from Bihar staying at the resort is over 20, including 17 MLAs who reached the city on Sunday.

Ibrahimpatnam is about 30 km from the city.

The opposition legislators are likely to stay in Hyderabad till February 11, they added.

Police sources said appropriate security arrangements have been made.

Congress, the second largest constituent of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar, which lost power last week, has 19 MLAs in the state assembly.

The newly formed NDA government in Bihar, headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, seeks a trust vote on February 12.

Congress sources in Delhi and Patna on Sunday said more than the BJP, it was Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), a former ally, which they suspect of trying to poach its MLAs.

The arrival of the Bihar Congress MLAs in Hyderabad on Sunday evening came barely an hour after the MLAs of ruling JMM-led alliance of Jharkhand left the Telangana capital after staying in a luxury resort for three days ahead of the trust vote of the Champai Soren government.

The JMM-led coalition government headed by Chief Minister Champai Soren won the vote of confidence in the Jharkhannd assembly on Monday.