Bengaluru: Amid the fear of the BJP poaching the Congress and the JD(S) MLAs, embattled Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar chalked out counter strategies from the confines of his hospital ward on Thursday.

Shivakumar has been hospitalised for acute gastroenteritis following a suspected case of food poisoning. However, this did not stop him from engaging in hectic politicking. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was amongst the first to pay him a visit early Thursday morning. Kumaraswamy later told reporters that aside from enquiring after Shivakumar’s health, he discussed the recent political development and the BJP’s attempts to poach the ruling party MLAs, “at length”.

While several Congress and JD(S) leaders like Eshwar Khandre, Ramalinga Reddy and A H Vishwanath too called on him, it was JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s visit to the hospital that added to the political intrigue.

Shivakumar, who was hospitalised on Tuesday, had stepped out the following day to address a press conference to counter BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra’s allegations.
The minister, who has come under the Enforcement Directorate’s scanner, had charged that the BJP was targeting him as he had become a stumbling block to its ‘Operation Kamala’ mission.

The Congress leader, known as a master strategist, was instrumental in the formation of the coalition government. Shivakumar is likely to be discharged from hospital in a day or two.