The Congress in Odisha has moved eight of its MLAs to Karnataka due to apprehensions of cross-voting in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections.
The party leaders said that the MLAs were shifted to a resort in Bengaluru to shield them from horse-trading attempts by the BJP.
Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said, 'Yes, eight of our MLAs have gone to Bengaluru so that they can be shielded from horse-trading attempts by the BJP. Our MLAs will remain united.'
The MLAs who have been moved to the Congress-ruled southern state are Prafulla Pradhan, Mangu Khila, Ashok Das, Pavitra Saunta, Rajan Ekka and Kadraka Appala Swamy, he added.
Four more MLAs are expected to arrive in Bengaluru by Saturday morning, a Congress leader in Karnataka said.
The opposition BJD, on the other hand, has asked all its legislators to attend 'priority' meetings at the residence of party chief Naveen Patnaik every evening from Friday to Sunday.
