Bhubaneswar, Mar 13: Amid growing concerns over possible cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in Odisha, the Congress party has shifted its MLAs to Bengaluru in a move widely seen as part of “resort politics” aimed at keeping its legislators together.

Party sources confirmed on Friday that the MLAs were flown to Bengaluru under the supervision of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar. The legislators and party leaders left Bhubaneswar on Thursday night and arrived in Bengaluru by an IndiGo flight.

The group landed at Kempegowda International Airport around 11 p.m., where they were received by close aides of Shivakumar. From the airport, the MLAs were escorted under tight police security to a resort in Bidadi in Ramanagara district. They have been accommodated at the Wonderla Resort, where special arrangements have been made for their stay.

According to sources, the delegation includes MLAs Mangu Khila, Appala Swamy, Rajan Ekka and Ashok Kumar, along with Odisha Congress chief and former MP Bhakta Charan Das and party spokesperson Durga Prasad Panda. In total, around 14 Congress leaders from Odisha have reached Bengaluru.

The decision to move the MLAs outside Odisha was taken amid fears of cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls and to counter alleged attempts of “Operation Lotus”. In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP has the support of 79 MLAs, the BJD holds 50 seats, while the Congress has 14 legislators.

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