Amid concerns of potential cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in Odisha, the Congress party has relocated its MLAs to Bengaluru. This move, often referred to as “resort politics,” aims to ensure the unity of its legislators. The MLAs were brought to Bengaluru under the supervision of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar.
The legislators, along with party leaders, arrived in Bengaluru from Bhubaneswar on Thursday night via an IndiGo flight. Upon their arrival at Kempegowda International Airport around 11 p.m., they were greeted by close aides of Shivakumar. Subsequently, under police security, they were taken directly to a resort in Bidadi, Ramanagara district.
The MLAs are currently staying at the Wonderla Resort, where special arrangements have been made for their accommodation. The group includes prominent figures such as MLAs Mangu Khila, Appala Swamy, Rajan Ekka, and Ashok Kumar. Additionally, the party’s Odisha chief, Bhakta Charan Das, and spokesperson Durga Prasad Panda are part of the delegation, totaling around 14 Congress leaders from Odisha.
The decision to move the MLAs out of Odisha was made due to apprehensions regarding potential cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha election. The Congress aims to counter what it perceives as the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus.’ In the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, the BJP currently holds the support of 79 MLAs, while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress have 50 and 14 MLAs, respectively.
