BENGALURU — Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has accused the BJP of attempting to bribe Odisha Congress MLAs currently staying at a resort on the city’s outskirts. The allegations come just ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16, 2026.
According to Shivakumar, two individuals were apprehended after allegedly offering ₹5 crore per vote to the legislators to induce cross-voting.
Key Details of the Allegations:
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The “Bribe” Attempt: Shivakumar claimed that four individuals from Odisha, assisted by a local contact, entered the resort and offered MLAs ₹5 crore each. He further alleged that two cheques from the BJP side were brought as part of the deal but were rejected by the lawmakers.
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Apprehensions: Two of the four accused were caught by party supporters and have reportedly “confessed” to their roles in the poaching attempt. The other two individuals managed to escape the premises.
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Formal Complaint: Ashok Kumar Das, Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Odisha, has filed a complaint at the Bidadi police station. The complaint names four individuals: Birendra Prasad, Suresh, Ajit Kumar Sahu, and Simachal Mohakud.
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Threats Alleged: Beyond bribery, the complaint states that when the MLAs refused the offer, the accused used abusive language and threatened to kill them upon their return to Odisha.
Context: The Rajya Sabha Battle
The eight Odisha Congress MLAs have been sequestered in Bengaluru since March 12 to prevent poaching after the BJP fielded an additional candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls, creating a high-stakes contest for the available seats.
The Bengaluru police have initiated an investigation into the matter, focusing on the seized cheques and the statements of the detained individuals.
