Resort Politics Begins In Odisha Ahead Of RS Polls; 8 Cong MLAs Travel To Bengaluru
The whip was issued by Odisha Congress chief Dr. C S Raazen Ekka, who is also learnt to have travelled to Bengaluru along with the MLAs
Bhubaneswar: With the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha just days away, signs of “resort politics” have begun to emerge as several Congress MLAs left Bhubaneswar for Bengaluru despite a party whip asking them to remain in the state capital until polling day.
Eight Congress legislators reportedly travelled to Bengaluru on Friday, barely a day after the party issued a whip directing all its MLAs to stay in Bhubaneswar from March 13 to March 16 to ensure their presence during the Rajya Sabha election process. The development has triggered intense speculation within political circles about possible cross-voting and the need to safeguard legislators ahead of the crucial vote.
The whip was issued by Odisha Congress chief Dr. C S Raazen Ekka, who is also learnt to have travelled to Bengaluru along with the MLAs. Party sources, however, maintained that the visit was not politically motivated and insisted that the legislators would return before the polling.
The Rajya Sabha election in Odisha has turned into a high-stakes contest, with five candidates in the fray for four seats, making it the first such contest in the state in more than a decade. The BJP has fielded Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has nominated Santrupt Misra and urologist Dr Datteswar Hota. Former Union minister Dilip Ray is contesting as an Independent with BJP support, intensifying the battle for the fourth seat.
Given the numerical strength in the 147-member Assembly, the BJP is expected to comfortably win two seats while the BJD is likely to secure one. The fourth seat, however, has turned into a tightly contested race, with the BJD and Congress backing Dr Hota in a bid to counter the BJP-backed Independent candidate.
The Congress had earlier expressed apprehension about possible “horse trading” for the fourth seat, prompting the party leadership to issue strict instructions to its MLAs to remain together until the election is completed.
Reacting to the Bengaluru visit, Cuttack-Barabati MLA Sofia Firdous said she was unaware of the trip and had no plans to leave Bhubaneswar.
“We have only heard that they have gone, but we have no knowledge of it. We were never told to go anywhere. I am here after being elected by the people,” she said.
Senior Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati also downplayed the development, saying the MLAs had travelled on their own and that the party had full faith in them.
“Our MLAs have gone there on their own accord. No one has taken them forcibly. They will return after two days. We have full faith they will vote according to the party line,” he said.
With voting scheduled on March 16 in the Odisha Assembly, political observers say the coming days will test party discipline as well as the possibility of cross-voting in what has already become one of the most closely watched Rajya Sabha contests in the state in recent years.