A day after suspending its three MLAs who cross-voted by going against party whip, Odisha Congress on Wednesday said it would take attempts to bribe its MLAs in Karnataka ahead of Rajya Sabha elections to logical conclusion.
“Four persons were arrested by Karnataka police from a resort where Congress MLAs were put up ahead of Rajya Sabha elections. Their activities were suspicious. Prima facie evidence suggest that they were sent to hotel to bribe our MLAs. However, alert MLAs foiled their bid,” said Bhakta Charan Das, President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee.
Mr. Das said, “we would move Election Commission of India raising the blatant attempt to bribe lawmakers and seek its intervention.”
“We are suspect that large amount of money has changed hands in the last Rajya Sabha election for which an independent candidate, despite not having numerical strength in Odisha Legislative Assembly, won the seat,” said OPCC President.
Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had also raised the bribery charges. “Reports have emerged that four individuals were arrested in Bengaluru on allegations of attempting to hand over blank cheques to MLAs with the intent to buy votes for BJP-supported Rajya Sabha candidates,” Mr. Patnaik had written on ‘X’ on Monday (March 16).
