Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The contest for Madhya Pradesh's third Rajya Sabha seat has become more interesting after the BJP candidate filed his nomination.
Amid concerns over possible cross-voting, the Congress has decided to shift all its 62 MLAs to Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The party is worried that some legislators could come under pressure or be influenced during the voting process. To avoid any such risk and ensure that all MLAs remain united and vote according to the party line, Congress has taken them to a controlled and secure environment in Bengaluru.
For the move, the party booked a special chartered flight from Bhopal. However, when several MLAs arrived at the airport along with their family members and staff, the number of passengers crossed 100, which created a shortage of seats.
As a result, senior Congress leaders decided that some MLAs would remain in Bhopal and travel later on a second chartered flight scheduled for the evening.
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar is also expected to travel to Bengaluru along with a few MLAs. Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress has full faith in all its 62 legislators but is remaining alert due to what he described as the BJP's "politics of poaching."
Amid reports of Congress MLAs being shifted to another location during the Rajya Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh to prevent cross-voting, Congress MLA Narayan Singh Patta said that the party remains united and disciplined. He stated that wherever the party gives instructions, all members will stay together and follow the direction.
Patta also remarked that people like them are fully aligned with the Congress and that BJP contacts or influence “cannot reach” them, indicating confidence that MLAs will not be swayed during the election process.
The Congress has arranged a special ATR-72 aircraft to transport its MLAs to Bengaluru as part of its preparations ahead of the Rajya Sabha election. The move comes as political activity intensifies over the election for the third Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh.
