Bhubaneswar, March 15: As the race for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat in Odisha heats up, concerns over cross-voting have prompted political caution, with no party securing a clear majority.

In a strategic move, the Congress has relocated some of its MLAs to a private resort in Bengaluru to prevent defections. Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has intensified efforts to keep its legislators united.

On Sunday evening, Patnaik also convened a meeting of the BJD legislature party at his residence, Naveen Niwas, assuring party leaders that all 48 BJD MLAs are united and will follow the party president's directives when casting their votes.

For the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, the BJD has fielded two candidates: Santrupt Mishra and a joint candidate, Datteswar Hota. In a show of solidarity, the Congress has decided to support Datteswar Hota as the common candidate.

Previously, BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has instructed party MLAs to attend special two-hour sessions at his residence, Naveen Niwas, over the next three days, starting Friday. The meetings are designed to educate MLAs on the Rajya Sabha election process and ensure they are well-prepared for voting.

According to a letter from Patnaik to party legislators, these sessions will cover presentations on the election procedure and voting guidelines. "The Rajya Sabha election in Odisha is being held after a 12-year gap, with the last one taking place in February 2014. Many MLAs may be unfamiliar with the voting process, so these sessions are essential to prevent any invalid votes," explained a senior BJD leader.