Bhubaneswar/Bengaluru, Mar 13 (PTI) Odisha on Friday witnessed hectic political activities as opposition parties made all-out efforts to foil the ruling BJP’s alleged horse-trading bid, with the Congress even shifting eight of its MLAs to Karnataka amid apprehensions of cross-voting in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections.
All parties issued whips, asking their respective lawmakers to remain present in the assembly on Monday and cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha polls. Both the BJD and the Congress have openly accused the saffron party of attempting to do horse trading as it fielded an Independent candidate despite not having required numbers to win an additional seat.
Of its total 14 MLAs, the Congress shifted eight lawmakers to a private resort near Bengaluru where Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met them in the presence of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das.
“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,” Shivakumar said in an X post.
Meanwhile, main opposition BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Friday evening held a “priority meeting” with his party’s lawmakers at Naveen Niwas. Of the 48 MLAs of the regional outfit, 45 attended it. The absentees were Manohar Randhari, Sarada P Nayak and Naba Kishor Mallick.
“These three MLAs are with the party. While Randhari could not attend the Friday evening meeting due to health issues, Nayak was on the way to Bhubaneswar from his constituency. Mallick is out of the city and he will be back tomorrow and will attend another meeting,” BJD MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo told reporters after the meeting.
He claimed that all the BJD MLAs are united to foil the BJP’s “attempt of horse-trading”.
Besides Patnaik, BJD’s two candidates — Santrupt Misra (party’s official nominee) and Dr Datteswar Hota (common candidate) — were also present at the meeting where the MLAs were imparted training on how to make flawless voting as each vote has immense value, Sahoo said.
Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said, “Yes, eight of our MLAs have gone to Bengaluru so that they can be shielded from horse-trading attempts by the BJP. Our MLAs will remain united.” “Our MLAs who have gone to Karnataka will return by Sunday night and cast their votes on Monday in assembly,” Kadam told PTI, adding that the party has been making strategies on how to foil BJP’s plan.
Among the MLAs who have been moved to the Congress-ruled southern state are Prafulla Pradhan, Mangu Khila, Ashok Das, Pavitra Saunta, Rajan Ekka and Kadraka Appala Swamy, he added.
“Four more MLAs are expected to arrive in Bengaluru by Saturday morning,” a Congress leader in Karnataka said, adding that the MLAs are currently staying at a resort in an amusement park, located about 35 km from Bengaluru.
Six MLAs of the party are at present in Bhubaneswar to attend the ongoing budget session of the assembly. Congress MLA from Barabati-Cuttack, Sofia Firdous, said, “I do not know about party MLAs going to Bengaluru. I need not go to any place.” A total of four Rajya Sabha seats from the state are going to the polls, and five candidates are in the fray.
According to the tally in the 147-member assembly, the BJD is certain of one seat, while the ruling BJP is sure about two seats. Neither party has the required 30 first-preference votes for the fourth seat.
The ruling BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, totalling 82, which is eight short of the number required for electing three MPs.
The opposition BJD has 48 MLAs after two of its members were suspended last month. After electing one MP, it will have 18 first-preference votes but will require another 12 to bag the second seat. The Congress has 14 MLAs, and the CPI(M) has one. Both Congress and CPI(M) have extended their support to Hota.
The BJP, which also issued a whip to its MLA, has named its state president Manmohan Samal and outgoing MP Sujeet Kumar as its candidates, and backed Independent nominee Dilip Ray. The fight in this election is between Ray and Hota.
The voting for Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha is being held after a gap of 12 years. The last voting was held in 2014, when cross-voting reportedly led to the victory of Congress candidate Ranjib Biswal and defeat of BJD-backed Independent nominee Raghunath Mohapatra.
This time, the Congress’ decision to back BJD’s Hota is being seen as politically significant in Odisha. The BJD had ousted the Congress from power 26 years ago, and the two parties have long been rivals.
Both sides have now come together to prevent the BJP from winning three of the four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in the state.
Meanwhile, the BJD said it would hold meetings of its MLAs at Naveen Niwas on Saturday and Sunday. PTI AAM GMS ROH SOM AAM ACD
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