DK Shivakumar Accuses BJP of Offering Bribes to Odisha Congress MLAs Amid Rajya Sabha Poll Row

A political row has intensified between the Congress and BJP over alleged bribery in Rajya Sabha polls, with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accusing the BJP of attempting to carry out horse trading of Congress's Odisha MLAs, who were reportedly staying at a Bengaluru resort.

16 Mar, 18:57 — 17 Mar, 07:23

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Why this matters

The Rajya Sabha elections are crucial for the balance of power in India's upper house of Parliament, influencing the government's ability to pass legislation. Cross-voting by opposition MLAs highlights internal dissent within parties and can signal shifts in political alliances or loyalty, potentially impacting future elections and governance.

Key entitiesNDA Congress RJD Sofia Firdous BJD

The Story

What 5 sources agree on, dispute, and miss

What sources agree on

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won additional seats in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Cross-voting by opposition MLAs occurred in Bihar and Odisha.
The Rajya Sabha elections took place on March 16, 2026.

Key claims1 agreed · 3 unverified

✓

The NDA won big in Bihar and Odisha in the Rajya Sabha polls.

agreed·hinduTimes of India

Three Congress MLAs and one RJD MLA skipped voting in Bihar, leading to an NDA victory for one seat.

unverified·ndtv

BJP secured two extra seats due to cross-voting by opposition MLAs in Bihar and Odisha.

unverified·indian-express

Sofia Firdous, an Odisha Congress MLA, expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress decision to support the BJD two days before the Rajya Sabha elections.

unverified·hindustan-times

Coverage gaps

The specific dissatisfaction of Odisha Congress MLA Sofia Firdous with her party's decision to support the BJD

Reportedhindustan-times

MissinghinduTimes of Indiandtv+1

RJD rank and file turning against Congress after the Rajya Sabha poll defeat in Bihar

Reportedndtv

Missinghindustan-timeshinduTimes of India+1

The Story

Analyzing sources…

Source Diversity

Moderate (45/100)

5 sources33/33

Spectrum spread— 2/5 buckets covered8/33

Far L

Left3

Left (3)

hindundtvindian-express

Center

Right2

Right (2)

hindustan-timesTimes of India

Far R

Geographic diversity— 1 region4/34

India5

ℹAll sources from India region

Sources

Showing 3 of 5 sources

hinduMostly Factual88d ago

Watch: Rajya Sabha elections: NDA wins big in Bihar, Odisha; tight race in Haryana

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) dominated the March 16, 2026 Rajya Sabha polls, winning key seats across Bihar, Odisha and Haryana.

Read full article →

hindustan-timesMostly Factual88d ago

Who is Sofia Firdous, Odisha Congress MLA who allegedly picked BJP in Rajya Sabha polls?

The story began two days before the Rajya Sabha elections, when Sofia Firdous expressed her dissatisfaction with the Congress decision to support the BJD.

Read full article →

ndtvMostly Factual89d ago

RJD Rank And File Turns Against Congress After Rajya Sabha Poll Defeat

Rajya Sabha election for one seat in Bihar led to a victory for the NDA after three Congress MLAs and their colleague from the Rashtriya Janata Dal skipped the voting.

Read full article →

Coverage Timeline

First report: indian-express · 16 Mar, 15:28|Full coverage: 5 · 16h|Window: 16h

Left-leaningCenterRight-leaning

indian-express16 Mar, 15:28First to report

Rajya Sabha polls: Opp MLAs cross-vote in Bihar, Odisha; BJP secures 2 extra seats

3h later

ndtv16 Mar, 18:57

RJD Rank And File Turns Against Congress After Rajya Sabha Poll Defeat

1h later

Times of India16 Mar, 20:03

Cross-voting helps NDA in RS polls in Odisha, Bihar

11h later

hindu17 Mar, 06:57

Watch: Rajya Sabha elections: NDA wins big in Bihar, Odisha; tight race in Haryana

hindustan-times17 Mar, 07:23Latest update

Who is Sofia Firdous, Odisha Congress MLA who allegedly picked BJP in Rajya Sabha polls?

Story evolution

The initial focus on election results and cross-voting evolved to include details about internal party dissent and its potential impact on future political dynamics.

Pre-election dissatisfactionMarch 14, 2026

An Odisha Congress MLA expressed dissatisfaction with her party's alliance decision two days before the polls.

Election Day & Cross-votingMarch 16, 2026

Rajya Sabha polls were held, with reports of opposition MLAs cross-voting in Bihar and Odisha.

NDA Victory & AftermathMarch 16-17, 2026

The NDA secured additional seats due to cross-voting, leading to internal party repercussions for the opposition.

PERSPECTA

PERSPECTA

DK Shivakumar Accuses BJP of Offering Bribes to Odisha Congress MLAs Amid Rajya Sabha Poll Row

Why this matters

The Story

What sources agree on

Key claims1 agreed · 3 unverified

Coverage gaps

The Story

Source Diversity

Source Diversity

Sources

Watch: Rajya Sabha elections: NDA wins big in Bihar, Odisha; tight race in Haryana

Who is Sofia Firdous, Odisha Congress MLA who allegedly picked BJP in Rajya Sabha polls?

RJD Rank And File Turns Against Congress After Rajya Sabha Poll Defeat

Coverage Timeline

Rajya Sabha polls: Opp MLAs cross-vote in Bihar, Odisha; BJP secures 2 extra seats

RJD Rank And File Turns Against Congress After Rajya Sabha Poll Defeat

Cross-voting helps NDA in RS polls in Odisha, Bihar

Watch: Rajya Sabha elections: NDA wins big in Bihar, Odisha; tight race in Haryana

Who is Sofia Firdous, Odisha Congress MLA who allegedly picked BJP in Rajya Sabha polls?

Story evolution

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PERSPECTA

Why this matters

Story evolution

The Story

What sources agree on

Key claims1 agreed · 3 unverified

Coverage gaps

Coverage matrix