Tensions are mounting in Odisha’s political arena just before the Rajya Sabha elections, with two men taken into custody near Bengaluru for trying to lure Congress MLAs with massive bribes. The drama played out at Wonderla Resort in Bidadi, a secure hideout chosen by the Congress to protect eight of its vulnerable legislators from defection attempts.
Deputy leader Ashok Kumar Das filed a police complaint detailing how intruders from Odisha breached security on March 15. They dangled promises of crores per MLA to sway their votes, even offering a blank cheque as bait. Rejection led to ugly threats of murder back home and verbal abuse, prompting swift police action.
Bengaluru South SP R. Srinivas Gowda revealed that two suspects are now in custody, with an FIR in the works after initial inquiries. ‘The matter is serious, and we’re acting decisively,’ he assured. This preemptive relocation to Karnataka reflects Congress’s calculated move to counter cross-voting risks in the March 16 polls.
Party insiders say the decision stemmed from urgent strategy sessions, keeping the MLAs sequestered until the last moment. They’ll fly back to Odisha mere hours before polling stations open. The scandal has ignited debates on electoral malpractices, with opposition parties quick to politicize the event.
With the election battle intensifying, such resort confinements have become a staple of high-stakes Indian democracy. Enhanced police presence now surrounds the resort, as investigators hunt for the remaining accused. This brazen bid exposes the underbelly of vote-buying, raising urgent calls for stricter enforcement.