Bhubaneswar/Bengaluru, 13 Mar

The Opposition Congress in Odisha has moved eight of its MLAs to Karnataka amid apprehensions of cross-voting in the 16 March Rajya Sabha elections, party leaders said on Friday.

The State's main opposition BJD, on the other hand, has asked all its legislators to attend "priority" meetings at the residence of party Chief Naveen Patnaik every evening from Friday to Sunday, according to a statement.

The Congress had summoned all its 14 MLAs to the state capital Bhubaneswar on Thursday night, and then moved eight of them, including Chief Whip CS Raazen Ekka, to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the leaders said.

Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said, "Yes, eight of our MLAs have gone to Bengaluru so that they can be shielded from horse-trading attempts by the BJP. Our MLAs will remain united."

Another party leader said, "They are scheduled to return to Bhubaneswar on Monday and will go directly to the assembly to cast their votes in favour of Datteswar Hota."

Among the MLAs who have been moved to the Congress-ruled southern state are Prafulla Pradhan, Mangu Khila, Ashok Das, Pavitra Saunta, Rajan Ekka and Kadraka Appala Swamy, he added.

Congress leaders indicated that more legislators could join the group soon.

"Four more MLAs are expected to arrive in Bengaluru by Saturday morning," a Congress leader in Karnataka said.

Senior Congress leaders in the southern State are understood to have coordinated the arrangements for the Odisha MLAs.

According to party insiders, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar oversaw the logistical arrangements for their stay.

The MLAs are currently staying at a resort in an amusement park, located about 35 km from Bengaluru, party leaders said.

Six MLAs of the party are at present in Bhubaneswar to attend the ongoing budget session of the assembly.

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous said, "I do not know about party MLAs going to Bengaluru. I need not go to any place."

A total of four Rajya Sabha seats from the state are going to the polls, and five candidates are in the fray.

According to the tally in the 147-member assembly, the BJD is certain of one seat, while the ruling BJP is sure about two seats. Neither party has the required 30 first-preference votes for the fourth seat.

The ruling BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, totalling 82, which is eight short of the number required for electing three MPs.

The opposition BJD has 48 MLAs after two of its members were suspended last month. After electing one MP, it will have 18 first-preference votes but will require another 12 to bag the second seat. The Congress has 14 MLAs, and the CPI(M) has one.

The BJD has fielded Santrupt Misra and Hota, who is being backed by the Congress.

The BJP has named its state president Manmohan Samal and outgoing MP Sujeet Kumar as its candidates, and backed Independent nominee Dilip Ray.

The fight in this election is between Ray and Hota.

The Congress decision to back the BJD's Hota is being seen as politically significant in Odisha. BJD had ousted the Congress from power 26 years ago, and the two parties have long been rivals.

Both sides have now come together to prevent the BJP from winning three of the four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in the state.

Meanwhile, in a letter, the BJD asked its MLAs to attend two-hour meetings at Naveen Niwas from Friday to Sunday. The meetings will be held from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.