Fresh Cong-BJP row erupts, this time over RS poll bribes

BENGALURU/BHUBANESWAR: Four men were arrested successful Bengaluru connected Sunday for allegedly attempting to bribe 8 Congress legislators from Odisha with Rs 5 crore each to ballot successful favour of BJP successful the Rajya Sabha polls, owed connected Monday. The arrests were made sho-rtly aft Karnataka Congress president and lawman CM DK Shivakumar made allegations astir "Operation Lotus". He told reporters, "Four men tried to power our Odisha MLAs successful a edifice by offering them Rs 5 crore each to cross-vote. Following an FIR, each 4 person been arrested." Dismissing the allegation, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said, "Since Congress is staring astatine imminent defeat, they're making mendacious claims."

Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das claimed the arrested men were linked to BJP. Eight of the 14 Cong-ress legislators from Odisha were moved to a Bengaluru edifice connected Thursday to forestall poaching. Five candidates are successful the fray for 4 Rajya Sabha seats successful Odisha. BJP has fielded authorities president Manmohan Samal and re-nominated outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar, too backing Independent campaigner Dilip Ray for the 3rd seat.

BJD has nominated Santrupt Misra portion the enactment is supporting Independent campaigner Datteswar Hota, who is being backed by Congress and CPM. With numbers stacked successful their favour, BJP's Samal and Kumar are expected to sail through, arsenic does Misra of BJD. The existent conflict is for the 4th seat, wherever Hota and Ray are locked successful a choky contention amid fears of cross-voting and allegations of horse-trading.