Congress MLAs Moved to Bengaluru Resort to Block BJP’s Cross-Voting Bid

In a strategic move ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress party has relocated its 14 MLAs from Odisha to Wonderla Resort near Bengaluru.

The decision, overseen by Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das and Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, aims to prevent cross-voting amid fears of the BJP’s alleged “Operation Lotus.”

The Odisha Assembly’s composition — BJP with 79 seats, BJD with 50, and Congress with 14 — makes Congress’s support crucial for determining the fourth Rajya Sabha seat.

Congress has pledged its backing to BJD candidate Datteshwar Hota, while the BJP has fielded two candidates and extended support to Independent Dilip Ray, who requires additional votes to secure victory.

This resort politics strategy is not new; Shivakumar has previously sheltered MLAs from Maharashtra and Gujarat during political crises.

The outcome of the Rajya Sabha election now hinges on whether Congress MLAs remain united in Bengaluru until voting day.