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Odisha Rajya Sabha poll: Congress shifts MLAs to Bengaluru, BJD holds bootcamp
The Congress, which has 14 MLAs in the Odisha assembly, flew out nine of its MLAs to a resort just outside Bengaluru on Thursday night
The Congress has sequestered nine of its Odisha legislators in a resort in Karnataka, while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) started a three-day bootcamp at party chief Naveen Patnaik’s residence to prevent cross-voting in the razor-thin battle for the fourth seat in the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for next week.
The aggressive gatekeeping operations come against the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) extending its support to Dilip Ray, a former union minister who is contesting the Rajya Sabha election as an Independent.
The Congress, which has 14 MLAs in the Odisha assembly, sent nine of its MLAs to a resort just outside Bengaluru on Thursday night. According to party leaders, the nine MLAs along with Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das landed at Kempegowda International Airport. They have been accommodated at Wonderla Resort in Ramanagara district and are expected to return to Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening, a day ahead of the polling on Monday.
Among those who have gone to Bengaluru are Ashok Kumar Das, Sagar Charan Das, Prafulla Chandra Pradhan, Mangu Khila, Pabitra Saunta, Nilamadhav Hikaka, Kadraka Appala Swamy, C S Raazen Ekka, and Satyajeet Gomango.
“Glad to meet our Congress MLAs from Odisha in Bengaluru along with Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Shri Bhakta Charan Das and interact with them. Their unity and determination show that no attempt can weaken the resolve of Congress leaders to stand together and protect democratic values,” said Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar in a post on X.
It is not clear why only nine of the 14 were sent. The five who were still in Odisha are Congress legislature party leader Ramachandra Kadam, senior MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, and Cuttack-Barabati MLA Sofia Firdous, and Ramesh Chandra Jena.
Firdous told reporters she heard about the relocation of some MLAs through the media.
“I came to know this morning from news reports that some MLAs have travelled outside the state. I don’t have any confirmed information, so I can’t say anything further at this point. The party had issued a whip asking all MLAs to remain in Bhubaneswar, but in the meantime some have been moved out of the state,” she said, adding that she has already decided whom to vote for in the Rajya Sabha election.
BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik summoned all 48 party MLAs to attend three consecutive mandatory evening sessions at his residence in Bhubaneswar, terming the attendance at the sessions is “non-negotiable” and a “priority”.
BJD leaders said the meetings are intended to brief MLAs about the preferential ballot system used in Rajya Sabha elections, reinforce coordination within the legislature party and prevent any possibility of cross-voting.
A party leader said the MLAs were trained on the step-by-step procedures adopted for the Rajya Sabha election, while Saturday’s meeting would focus on voting rules. Sunday’s session will bring together the entire BJD legislature party on the eve of polling.
A BJD MLA who attended Friday’s meeting said Naveen Patnaik repeatedly told them about the consequences of cross-voting and the necessity of obeying the party whip.
The BJP has issued a three-line whip to all its 79 MLAs directing them to be present in the assembly on March 16, the day of polling.
BJP has nominated state party chief Manmohan Samal and incumbent MP Sujeet Kumar and extended support to former Union minister Dilip Ray.
The opposition BJD, with 48 MLAs after the suspension of two legislators, is assured of one seat but has fielded two nominees: veteran leader Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr Datteswar Hota, the latter positioned as a “common candidate” jointly backed by the BJD, the Congress, and the CPI(M) to contest the fourth seat.
This has set up a cliffhanger for the fourth seat between Ray and Dr Hota, a seat that neither side can secure without rock-solid unity and, potentially, defections from the opposite camp.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with around 82 votes including its 79 MLAs and the support of three Independent MLAs, is comfortably placed to win two seats, but its push for a third through former union minister and hotelier Dilip Ray will require additional support or cross-voting from opposition ranks.
On the other hand, the BJD-Congress-CPI(M) combine could secure the fourth seat for Dr Hota if it holds together. Any significant defection or cross-voting could alter the outcome.
