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Odisha Congress MLAs Flown to Bengaluru Resort Ahead of Crucial Rajya Sabha Polls

Eight Congress MLAs from Odisha are now staying at the Wonderla resort near Bengaluru, with party leader Battappa confirming the booking of around 20 rooms for legislators and their entourages. The move is a strategic shift to prevent potential cross-voting in the upcoming biennial Rajya Sabha elections. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President DK Shivakumar is expected to visit the resort to oversee the arrangements. The Congress is supporting a joint candidate, Datteshwar Hota, with allied parties for one of four vacant Upper House seats from Odisha.

Key Points: Congress MLAs in Bengaluru Resort Before Rajya Sabha Elections

  • MLAs shifted to resort
  • Fears of cross-voting
  • 20 rooms booked
  • DK Shivakumar to visit
2 min read

2 more Odisha Congress MLAs arrive at Wonderla resort in Bengaluru ahead of Rajya Sabha polls

8 Odisha Congress MLAs moved to a Bengaluru resort amid cross-voting fears for Rajya Sabha polls. DK Shivakumar to visit. Details inside.

"As per our President's order, we have booked around 20 rooms here in Wonderla. - Battappa"

Bengaluru, March 13

Two more Congress MLAs from Odisha reached the Wonderla resort near Bengaluru on Friday, taking the total number of legislators staying at the resort to eight amid the speculations of cross-voting in the biennial Rajya Sabha elections.

Congress leader Battappa said that around 20 rooms have been booked at the resort for the legislators, their personal staff and family members. "Two more MLAs have reached the Wonderla resort. A total of eight MLAs, including PCC members, are here. As per our President's order, we have booked around 20 rooms here in Wonderla. There are eight MLAs, including the PCC president of Odisha, along with their PS and family members, so we have booked around 20 rooms," he said.

Battappa further stated that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is expected to visit the resort later in the day. "Our President, DK Shivakumar, will also come in the afternoon. As per our information, more MLAs may come here. That is why we have booked around 20 rooms," he added.

He also said that the initial plan was to arrange accommodation in another resort, but it could not be done due to renovation work. "We were supposed to book rooms in another resort as renovation is going on, so we booked here in this resort. Rooms are booked till the 15th of this month. We do not know for what reason and why they have come here," Battappa said.

The development comes amid speculation of cross-voting ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections. Earlier, six Odisha Congress MLAs, including chief whip CS Raazen Ekka, had reached Bengaluru along with their families.

In the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha, the Congress, along with the Biju Janata Dal and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has decided to support a joint candidate, Datteshwar Hota. Four Upper House seats from the state are set to fall vacant in April.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very smart move by DK Shivakumar and the Karnataka Congress to host them. Shows good coordination between state units. The opposition needs to stick together in Odisha. Hope this ensures Datteshwar Hota gets elected. The BJD has been too dominant for too long.
A
Aman W
All this drama just for a Rajya Sabha seat. The amount of money spent on 20 rooms at Wonderla for MLAs and their families... that's public money indirectly. Our politics has become a joke. They are treating it like a holiday with "work from resort" mode on.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the CPI(M) in this alliance with Congress and BJD. Odisha politics is complex. This "resort camping" strategy is now a standard playbook across parties, from Gujarat to Karnataka. It's a sad commentary on the trust deficit among our own elected representatives.
V
Vikram M
Battappa's last line is funny – "We do not know for what reason and why they have come here." Sure, you don't know! Everyone knows it's to shield them from poaching. At least they're being honest about the rooms being booked till the 15th. The election is the priority.
K
Karthik V
As an Odia, I'm glad to see opposition unity for a change. The BJD needs a strong check. Sending MLAs to Bengaluru is a practical move to avoid any "horse-trading" before the polls. Hope they also discuss real issues for Odisha and not just the election strategy.

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