Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs Depart for Bengaluru Ahead of Elections

In Madhya Pradesh, 48 Congress Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are currently en route to Bengaluru, Karnataka, in preparation for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. This development comes on June 9, 2026, amidst apprehensions regarding possible cross-voting. The MLAs are presently waiting at Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal, where delays have been reported concerning the permission for their chartered flight to take off.

A Congress MLA, present at the airport, expressed frustration about the situation. "We have been here for over four hours, but we are not allowed to take off. Now, officials are saying that they will start the boarding soon," the MLA noted.

Additionally, several Congress representatives have claimed that they have received enticing offers purportedly from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to sway their votes. The Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, remarked that multiple temptations concerning the Rajya Sabha elections have been presented to Congress MLAs, yet they have collectively decided to reject these offers. "Our Congress colleagues have returned the BJP’s ‘jhola [bag]’ back. Congress’s 62 MLAs are united with full strength, and we are confident that support will be received from more than 62. BJP should worry about its MLAs,” he stated.

More Congress MLAs are anticipated to depart for Bengaluru later in the day, with some senior leaders, including Mr. Singhar, scheduled to leave on June 10. The assembly of MLAs will reside at a resort near Bengaluru for over a week, planning to return to Bhopal on the polling day, June 18.