Bhubaneswar, March 15 (NationPress) The Congress party, which is in opposition, has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and independent candidate Dilip Ray, who is backed by the ruling party, of attempting to entice Congress MLAs who are currently residing at a resort in Bengaluru by offering them financial incentives ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

On Saturday afternoon, the Congress alleged, four individuals from Rourkela in Odisha arrived at a hotel in Bengaluru and tried to connect with the Odisha Congress MLAs and leaders present there on Sunday morning.

During a press interaction, senior Congress leader and MP Saptagiri Ulaka reported that the suspected individuals were subsequently handed over to law enforcement authorities.

Ulaka claimed that these individuals arrived with blank cheques and an offer amounting to Rs 5 crore per MLA. He further stated that during police questioning, the name of Independent candidate Dilip Ray emerged.

“We believe that not only Dilip Ray but also Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi may be involved in this unethical practice. We have lodged an FIR claiming they are attempting to buy our MLAs with financial incentives, and we are calling for a thorough investigation. They have also threatened our MLAs, saying they would not be permitted to return to Odisha, and even tried to kidnap them. This situation is regrettable. Horse-trading has no place in politics. Should anything happen to our MLAs, we will hold CM Majhi accountable,” Ulaka asserted.

Additionally, senior Congress leader and AICC Odisha in-charge Ajay Lallu criticized the BJP on Sunday for supporting Dilip Ray as an Independent candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha.

During a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Lallu accused the BJP of fielding a fourth candidate despite having only 22 MLAs in the Assembly, indicating an effort to secure the seat through unethical means.

He raised concerns regarding Dilip Ray's candidacy, noting that the former Union Minister had previously been convicted in a coal block allocation case.

As per Lallu, a special CBI court had sentenced Ray to three years in prison in October 2020 following an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He emphasized that under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a person sentenced to over two years in prison is disqualified from contesting elections. He questioned how such a candidate was allowed to run and sought clarification on the legal rationale behind the High Court's relief during the appeal process.

Lallu also mentioned that two individuals were detained by police after allegedly trying to approach party legislators at the hotel in Bengaluru where they were staying.

According to Lallu, the detained individuals reportedly confessed that they were there to negotiate with MLAs on behalf of Dilip Ray. He stated that the situation is currently under investigation, and the Congress Party will provide additional evidence in due course.