Bengaluru, March 13 (NationPress) In response to inquiries regarding the relocation of Odisha Congress MLAs to a resort in Bengaluru, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and Congress state president, D.K. Shivakumar, stated that he did not extend any invitations; the legislators chose to come on their own.

“I did not invite the Odisha MLAs; they made the decision to come to Bengaluru themselves,” Shivakumar remarked, addressing the media at his residence on Friday.

The Odisha MLAs are said to be residing at a resort located in Ramanagara.

“I am unaware of the precise reasons behind their visit. The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president from Odisha contacted me and informed me that their MLAs would be arriving. It could pertain to party affairs, thus I indicated my willingness to meet them. They expressed a desire to visit Mysuru. Upon learning of their visit, I welcomed them and arranged for their accommodations,” he elaborated.

When queried about whether the party had tasked him with preventing cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha elections, Shivakumar replied, “We are obligated to follow the party's directives. Such situations arise in all states; it is not unprecedented. They requested time to meet me. I advised them against coming during the ongoing Assembly session, stating that I would meet them afterward.”

In response to whether this move was aimed at thwarting 'Operation Lotus', he stated, “I cannot comment on that. They mentioned that Bengaluru was secure and that they wanted to spend time here. I have yet to meet them. They are our colleagues, and once their PCC president informed me, I welcomed them. It’s our responsibility to ensure their comfort. I have been engaged in such activities since Vilasrao Deshmukh's administration. I have done this multiple times, including during Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha election and in Madhya Pradesh.”

When asked if he often shoulders responsibilities during challenging times for the party while his own issues remain unaddressed, Shivakumar replied, “Only time will tell.”

Regarding whether the party had officially assigned him any responsibilities, he clarified, “No formal responsibilities have been designated. The PCC president merely informed me about the MLAs' arrival, and I welcomed them as our guests.”

Addressing the increasing calls for a Cabinet reshuffle, he remarked, “Everyone harbors aspirations of becoming a minister. I, too, once became a minister for the first time. As we age, we become senior citizens. Others share similar ambitions.”

Regarding Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain’s expression of dissatisfaction with the State Budget, Shivakumar stated, “He had made a request for a district court, and we have fulfilled that. We have provided ample resources for the constituency and will make an announcement soon.”

Amid concerns of potential cross-voting in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha election in Odisha, the Congress party has relocated its MLAs to Bengaluru, a move seen as part of “resort politics” aimed at uniting its legislators.

Congress sources confirmed that the MLAs were brought to Bengaluru under the supervision of Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar. The legislators and party officials arrived in the city from Bhubaneswar on Thursday night via an IndiGo flight.

They landed at Kempegowda International Airport at approximately 11 p.m. on Thursday, where they were greeted by Shivakumar's close associates. The legislators were then escorted under police protection directly to a resort in Bidadi, located in the Ramanagara district.

The MLAs are being housed at the Wonderla Resort, where special arrangements have been made for their comfort.

The group reportedly comprises MLAs Mangu Khila, Appala Swamy, Rajan Ekka, and Ashok Kumar. Also included are the party's Odisha chief and former MP Bhakta Charan Das, along with spokesperson Durga Prasad Panda. In total, around 14 Congress leaders from Odisha have reportedly arrived in Bengaluru.

According to party sources, the decision to relocate the MLAs from Odisha was made due to apprehensions regarding potential cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha election.