Congress Shifts MLAs to Karnataka Amid BJP 'Poaching' Allegations Ahead of Rajya Sabha Polls

Congress in Madhya Pradesh has shifted its MLAs to Karnataka ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, alleging attempts by the BJP to poach them. The move follows a late-night Congress Legislature Party meeting where the decision to relocate MLAs was made to prevent cross-voting. BJP’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh and state unit secretary Rajneesh Agrawal are contesting along with Mahesh Kewat, while Congress has nominated Meenakshi Natarajan. The BJP is expected to win two seats comfortably but faces a challenge for the third. This comes after the 2020 crisis where 22 Congress MLAs defected to the BJP, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government.

All 64 Congress MLAs are being moved to Bengaluru to safeguard against poaching attempts, with claims of BJP offering 'bags full of notes' being turned down by some MLAs. Despite having sufficient numbers for two seats, the BJP’s bid for a third seat remains uncertain, making the election crucial for both parties.