Resort Politics Is Back And Karnataka Congress Is Turning Up The Thrill With Rollercoasters
Resort Politics Is Back And Karnataka Congress Is Turning Up The Thrill With Rollercoasters Written By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 15:54 IST With rollercoasters
Resort Politics Is Back And Karnataka Congress Is Turning Up The Thrill With Rollercoasters Written By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 15:54 IST With rollercoasters roaring in the background, Congress MLAs will spend two days at a luxury resort inside Wonderla before the crucial Karnataka Legislative Council contest Rapid Read The Karnataka Legislative Council election comes weeks after DK Shivakumar replaced Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister. (PTI/File) Wonderla, the amusement park on the outskirts of Bengaluru, boasts of more than 60 gravity-defying attractions for adventure seekers, the most famous being India’s first reverse loop rollercoaster, thrillingly named ‘Recoil’. For its latest guests though, the adrenaline rush would pale in comparison to the biggest rollercoasters of all — Indian politics. Located on the premises of the Wonderla Amusement Park in Bidadi on Mysore Road is the Terrea by Wonderla resort, as a “4-star leisure destination". For the next two days, it is expected to play host to Congress MLAs who will be sequestered within the plush interiors until the June 18 Legislative Council elections. Such comfortable and expensive isolation of lawmakers is nothing new in Indian politics; we even have a name for it — resort politics. But there is certainly an element of comedy in ageing politicians strategising in all seriousness amid boisterous screams of carefree adrenaline junkies being spun, tossed and launched in weightlessness at a distance.
Not that anyone believes for a moment that it’s all work and no play at such political retreats. Lawmakers across parties and states have been known to enjoy spa services, massages, fine dining and even a spot of cricket or cards at such luxury establishments. The perks are often part of carefully managed routine designed to keep MLAs occupied and, most importantly, together. During several high-stakes political crises over the past few decades, political parties have shifted MLAs to 5-star hotels and luxury resorts in Bengaluru, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Goa, Guwahati and other destinations, with free access to recreation facilities, group activities and premium hospitality while awaiting trust votes and no-confidence motions. In 2022, for instance, the rebel Shiv Sena camp led by Eknath Shinde stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel in Guwahati as Maharashtra’s government teetered on the brink. Reports from multiple such instances over the years have described legislators participating in indoor games, yoga sessions, cultural programmes and informal gatherings while their party ‘handlers’ and ‘minders’ kept a close watch on their movement. The party high commands are fine with however the prized inmates keep themselves entertained — as long as it is offline, for any contact with the world outside is prohibited or limited depending on what’s ultimately at stake.
The BriefWire