Odisha Resort Politics Shifts to Bengaluru: 8 Congress MLAs Moved to Bidadi Amid Rajya Sabha Poaching Fears
BENGALURU – The shadow of “resort politics” has once again lengthened over Bengaluru as the city becomes the safe haven for eight Congress MLAs from Odisha. Fearing potential poaching and cross-voting by the BJP ahead of the crucial March 16 Rajya Sabha elections, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has moved its legislators to a luxury resort on the outskirts of the Karnataka capital.
High-Stakes Transit
The group of 14 people—comprising eight MLAs and their family members—landed at the Kempegowda International Airport late Thursday night. They were immediately whisked away under tight security to the Wonderla Resort in Bidadi, Bengaluru South.
The operation is reportedly being overseen by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is widely regarded as the Congress party’s primary “troubleshooter” for such crisis situations. Sources indicate that the MLAs were sent on the instructions of OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das to ensure the party’s “flock” remains intact.
The Numbers Game in Odisha
The tension stems from the upcoming battle for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha. In the 147-member Assembly:
• BJP (79 MLAs): Securely positioned to win two seats.
• BJD (48 MLAs): Has the numbers for one guaranteed seat.
• Congress (14 MLAs): Holds the balance of power for the final seat.
With the BJP and BJD both eyeing the fourth seat, the Congress leadership is taking no chances. The party has already issued a three-line whip to all its legislators, but the decision to move more than half of them to Bengaluru suggests deep-seated fears of horse-trading.
Identified Legislators
Local authorities and party insiders have confirmed the presence of the following MLAs at the Bidadi resort:
1. Mangu Khilla
2. Pabitra Saunta
3. Kadraka Appala Swamy
4. Rajan Ekka
5. Prafulla Pradhan
Why Bengaluru?
Bengaluru has historically been the preferred destination for “resort politics” due to the presence of a strong Congress government in Karnataka and D.K. Shivakumar’s expertise in managing such stays. Shivakumar previously handled similar operations for MLAs from Gujarat in 2017 and Maharashtra in more recent years.
The MLAs are expected to remain at the Wonderla Resort until Sunday evening, after which they will fly back to Bhubaneswar just in time for the voting on Monday morning.
