The Congress has moved a group of its legislators from Odisha to Bengaluru ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16, amid apprehensions of cross-voting.
According to Congress sources, around eight MLAs from the party’s Odisha unit were flown from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru late on Thursday night (March 12, 2026) and have been accommodated at a resort on the outskirts of the city.
The move, party insiders said, is aimed at ensuring unity among the legislators in the run-up to the election.
Sources in the Congress said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure after the BJP fielded a second candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat, triggering intense political manoeuvring in the State.
“There were concerns about possible cross-voting and attempts to influence MLAs. As a safeguard, the leadership decided to move them out of the State until the voting,” a Congress functionary said.
