Cong shifts MLAs to outside Odisha, BJD holds 'priority meet' with lawmakers amid cross-voting fears

BHUBANESWAR/BENGALURU: (Mar 14) Odisha on Friday witnessed hectic political activities as opposition parties made all-out efforts to foil the ruling BJP's alleged horse-trading bid, with the Congress even shifting eight of its MLAs to Karnataka amid apprehensions of cross-voting in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections.

All parties issued whips, asking their respective lawmakers to remain present in the assembly on Monday and cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha polls. Both the BJD and the Congress have openly accused the saffron party of attempting to do horse trading as it fielded an Independent candidate despite not having required numbers to win an additional seat.

Of its total 14 MLAs, the Congress shifted eight lawmakers to a private resort near Bengaluru where Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met them in the presence of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das.