Congress flies MP MLAs to Bengaluru, alleges BJP poaching bid before Rajya Sabha polls

Bhopal: The Congress has flown its Madhya Pradesh legislators to Bengaluru in an effort to keep its flock together ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 18.

The first batch of 35 MLAs travelled to Karnataka on a chartered flight along with family members, while the remaining legislators were expected to leave later. Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, accompanied the group.

Party leaders said the decision was taken to prevent possible cross-voting and ensure that all Congress votes remain intact during the election.

Allegations of poaching against BJP

The Congress has accused the BJP of attempting to poach its legislators ahead of the Upper House election.

Umang Singhar alleged that BJP leaders had approached some Congress MLAs with inducements to switch sides or vote against the party line. He claimed that legislators informed him about attempts to influence them, allegations that the BJP has consistently denied in similar situations across states.

Congress leaders argued that moving MLAs to a Congress-ruled state was necessary to safeguard party unity.

Understanding the Rajya Sabha numbers

The election is being held for three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh.

In the 230-member Assembly, the effective strength currently stands at 229. A candidate requires 58 first-preference votes to secure victory.

The BJP has 164 MLAs, giving it enough numbers to comfortably win two seats. The Congress effectively has 62 votes after legal and membership-related developments affecting two legislators.

As a result, the Congress believes it has sufficient numbers to secure one seat if all its MLAs vote together.

BJP's third candidate adds political twist

The BJP initially fielded two candidates but later announced a third candidate, Mahesh Kewat, adding intrigue to the contest.

The Congress has nominated former MP Meenakshi Natarajan as its sole candidate and insists she will secure victory with the support of all party MLAs.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh accused the BJP of trying to defeat a woman candidate despite publicly supporting women's political representation.

Late-night strategy meetings

Ahead of the decision to move legislators, the Congress Legislature Party held a strategy meeting at Umang Singhar's residence.

Most party MLAs attended the meeting, while senior leader Kamal Nath joined virtually. According to party sources, legislators were consulted before the final decision to relocate them to Karnataka.

Some MLAs reportedly expressed reservations about leaving the state, but eventually agreed to follow the party leadership's strategy.

High-stakes battle before June 18 vote

The Rajya Sabha election has become a significant political contest in Madhya Pradesh, with both the BJP and Congress seeking to avoid any surprises.

By relocating its legislators, the Congress hopes to eliminate the risk of defections or cross-voting and ensure a united vote in favour of its candidate.

The outcome will be closely watched as another test of party discipline and political management ahead of the June 18 polling day.