Odisha MLAs arrive in Bhubaneswar for crucial biennial Rajya Sabha elections Legislators from various political parties have gathered in Bhubaneswar ahead of the biennial Rajya Sabha elections, set to take place on March 16, 2026. The contest for four vacant seats has intensified amid widespread allegations of MLA poaching through horse-trading, with multiple parties accusing rivals of attempting to sway votes. The Congress party alleged that four individuals were detained in Bengaluru on charges of offering blank cheques to its MLAs to secure support for BJP-backed candidates. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), condemned the alleged activities, calling them evidence of BJP efforts to lure MLAs from other parties. Patnaik claimed that the arrests in Bengaluru validate his previous claims about BJP engaging in "horse-trading-like" tactics to recruit MLAs. He emphasized that the people of Odisha are closely monitoring the developments. Meanwhile, Ashok Kumar Das, deputy leader of the Odisha Congress Legislature Party, reported that unidentified individuals approached MLAs with offers, prompting a formal complaint. The BJP has taken measures to ensure its MLAs’ votes are not invalidated, including mock-polling training sessions. BJP MLAs, who were accommodated in a hotel in Paradip, traveled to Bhubaneswar by bus. The BJD, meanwhile, secured its MLAs’ safety by hosting them at Naveen Niwas, the residence of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The regional party issued show cause notices to two MLAs, Baliguda MLA Chakramani Kanhar and Jayadev MLA Naba Kishor Mallick, for their absence from party meetings for the past three days.#odisha #bjp #rajya_sabha #bjd #naveen_patnaik
