Odisha Congress MLAs shifted to Bengaluru ahead of RS polls

Scared of 'Horse Trading', the Congress has sent its MLAs to a safe haven in Bengaluru.before the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for March 16. The Party has 14 MLAs and 9 have been sent to Karnataka on Thursday night. In Odisha, Rajya Sabha elections will be held for four seats. BJP Has nominated 2 candidates-Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, while Dr Santrapt Mishra will be BJD Candidate. Congress and BJD has supported Dr Dattatreya Hota for the forth seat while Independent candidate and Former Union Minister Dilip Ray has BJP support.
The fight will be for the fourth seat.In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the ruling BJP is currently strong with 79 seats, while the Opposition BJD has 50 and the Congress has 14 MLAs.A candidate needs at least 30 votes to win. BJD has ensured the victory of its first candidate. However, the votes of 14 Congress MLAs are crucial for the victory of Dr Hota, who is supported by the Congress. Dilip Ray, who is contesting with BJP support, still needs about 8 to 10 votes to win.
Speaking to media persons, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ramachandra Kadam on Friday confirmed the shifting of nine Congress MLAs to Bengaluru along with Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President, Bhakta Charan Das. He clarified that the move was taken as a precautionary measure to safeguard the party’s legislators ahead of the Rajya Sabha election. Kadam also alleged that the Congress party leaders are being contacted and pressured ahead of the polls.
The Congress MLAs are reportedly staying in a private resort in South Bengaluru district, under the watch of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, amid the speculations of cross-voting in the upcoming polls. While Congress has not announced a candidate in Odisha, the party, along with Biju Janata Dal and Communist Party of India (Marxist), has decided to support a joint candidate, Datteshwar Hota. Four Upper House seats will fall vacant in April and undergo polling in Odisha.