In a shocking development ahead of Odisha’s Rajya Sabha elections, two individuals have been detained from a resort near Bengaluru for allegedly attempting to bribe Congress MLAs from Odisha. The incident unfolded at Wonderla Resort near Bidadi on the Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway, where eight Congress legislators from Odisha were staying to safeguard against potential poaching.
Police confirmed the arrests on Sunday, following a complaint lodged by Ashok Kumar Das, deputy leader of the Odisha Congress legislative party. According to Das, four unidentified persons infiltrated the resort premises on March 15 and approached the MLAs with an offer of crores of rupees each to cross-vote in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for March 16.
The bribery attempt reportedly included handing over a blank cheque during negotiations. When the MLAs firmly rejected the proposition, the accused allegedly resorted to threats of violence upon their return to Odisha, hurling abuses in the process. Bengaluru South Police Superintendent R. Srinivas Gowda stated that preliminary investigations are underway, with the complaint soon to be converted into a formal FIR.
This resort strategy is a common tactic employed by parties to keep their MLAs together and insulated from rival inducements during critical votes. Congress leadership had preemptively shifted the group to Bengaluru after internal deliberations, ensuring they remain united until voting concludes. The MLAs are set to return to Bhubaneswar just hours before casting their ballots.
As political temperatures rise in Odisha, this episode underscores the high stakes of the Rajya Sabha contest, where every vote counts amid fears of horse-trading. Authorities are intensifying security at the resort, and further arrests are anticipated as the probe deepens. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, highlighting persistent challenges to democratic integrity in Indian politics.