Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, political activities in Odisha have intensified as the Congress party takes preemptive measures against potential cross-voting. Fearing possible 'horse trading', the party has sent eight of its MLAs to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Congress leaders assert that this drastic step is necessary to safeguard their lawmakers from possible attempts at poaching by the opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Ramchandra Kadam, the leader of the Congress legislative party, confirmed that the eight MLAs have been placed in a resort to maintain their unity and prevent any miscommunication or coercion that could lead to cross-voting. He emphasized that all Congress legislators are united in their stance and are taking these measures to ensure a fair voting process. The list of MLAs transported includes chief whip C.S. Rajen Ekka and several other prominent party members, highlighting the seriousness of the party's concerns.

According to party sources, the eight MLAs will return to Bhubaneswar on Monday to participate directly in the assembly and cast their votes in favor of Datteshwar Hota in the Rajya Sabha election. The situation underscores the highly competitive nature of the elections, as well as the lengths to which political parties in India are willing to go to secure their interests amidst a contentious electoral environment.