Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday (March 14, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its three candidates of indulging in horse-trading ahead of the ensuing Rajya Sabha elections.
“There is horse-trading going on, with BJP leaders and their three Rajya Sabha candidates trying their best to secure votes through such means, which, as you know, is an offence to win a democratic election,” Mr. Patnaik alleged.
Echoing the charge, senior Arun Sahoo, a BJD MLA and former minister, said a party lacking adequate numbers should not be claiming victory.
“One party does not have the numbers to win the election. Yet, despite that, it has fielded candidates and is backing them while claiming they will win. This clearly points towards horse-trading, which is far removed from ideology and ethics,” Mr. Sahoo said.
Another BJD legislator, Byomkesh Ray, alleged that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi himself was involved in contacting MLAs.
