Congress Houses MLAs at Resort Ahead of Karnataka's Legislative Council Elections

Resort politics has once again returned to Karnataka ahead of the Legislative Council elections, with the Congress taking precautionary measures to prevent any possibility of cross-voting. Whenever elections result in political uncertainty or fears of defections, parties often move their legislators to resorts to keep them together and safeguard their votes. Karnataka has witnessed several such episodes in the past, and the latest development appears to be a continuation of that trend. Amid concerns over potential cross-voting in the upcoming Legislative Council elections, the Congress has arranged accommodation for all its MLAs at a resort in Bidadi on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Sources said around 140 rooms have been booked at Wonderla Resort for two days. The legislators are expected to stay at the resort on June 16 and June 17. Senior party leaders will remain in close coordination with the MLAs during their stay to ensure party unity ahead of the crucial election. On June 18, the day of voting, the MLAs will travel directly from the resort to the Vidhana Soudha to cast their votes. The move is aimed at ensuring that all party legislators vote according to the party’s directive and to avoid any last-minute political surprises. The Congress considers the Legislative Council election an important political contest and is leaving no room for uncertainty. The decision to house MLAs at the resort has once again brought the spotlight on resort politics, a strategy that has frequently been used by political parties in Karnataka during periods of electoral and political turbulence. With the election drawing closer, political observers will be closely watching whether Congress’ precautionary measures help secure its expected vote strength in the Council polls.