Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday alleged that attempts were made to bribe Odisha Congress legislators with ₹5 crore each in order to influence voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16. He described the alleged move as part of what the Congress has repeatedly called the BJP’s “Operation Lotus,” a term the party uses to refer to alleged efforts to persuade opposition legislators to defect or cross-vote.
According to Shivakumar, the incident occurred when Odisha Congress MLAs were staying at a resort in Bidadi near Bengaluru. The legislators had earlier been moved there as a precautionary measure to prevent possible attempts to influence their votes ahead of the Rajya Sabha election.
Speaking to reporters at his residence in Sadashivanagar and later outside the residence of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Shivakumar said that a group of four individuals allegedly approached the MLAs with offers of money in exchange for cross-voting during the election. He claimed that the individuals attempted to contact one of the MLAs online before arranging a meeting.
Shivakumar stated that a local person named Suresh had helped facilitate contact between the group and the legislators. According to him, the individuals later picked up one of the MLAs in the morning and allegedly offered ₹5 crore for each vote if the legislator agreed to support a rival candidate during the Rajya Sabha election.
He said the Congress MLA refused the offer and informed party leaders about the incident. Shivakumar emphasised that the legislator clearly rejected what he described as “horse-trading,” indicating that the party’s MLAs remained committed to supporting their official candidate.
The Deputy Chief Minister added that evidence related to the alleged bribery attempt had been recovered and that a cheque connected to the incident had been seized. He said a formal complaint would be lodged with the police and that authorities would take legal action as required.
According to Shivakumar, two individuals have already been arrested by the police in connection with the alleged attempt to bribe the MLAs. He also claimed that the suspects had admitted that they came with the intention of influencing the legislators’ votes.
He further stated that the investigation is continuing and that authorities are attempting to trace the remaining individuals who may have been involved in the alleged operation. Shivakumar again linked the incident to what he described as the BJP’s “Operation Lotus,” accusing the ruling party of attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Rajya Sabha election.
The BJP has not immediately responded to the allegations.
Meanwhile, sources told the news agency PTI that the Odisha Congress MLAs currently staying in Karnataka are expected to travel back to Bhubaneswar on Sunday night. They will return to their home state in order to participate in the Rajya Sabha voting scheduled for Monday morning.
The Rajya Sabha election in Odisha has attracted significant political attention because of the contest for an additional seat. The BJP has fielded an extra candidate, which has heightened concerns among opposition parties about possible cross-voting by legislators.
For the election, the Congress and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have jointly supported a candidate, making the contest for the final seat closely watched. Political parties have therefore taken precautionary steps to ensure that their legislators vote according to party lines.
When questioned by reporters about internal political issues in Karnataka, particularly disputes in Davanagere over party tickets, Shivakumar dismissed suggestions of confusion within the Congress. He said party leaders had agreed to abide by the decisions of the central leadership and that there was no internal disagreement over candidate selection.
