MP Congress MLAs Shift To Bengaluru Before Polls
Congress MLAs Allege BJP-Linked Poaching Attempts
Around 48 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs stranded at Bhopal airport amid alleged ATC delay before special flight to Bengaluru
About 48 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs remained at Bhopal airport on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after a chartered special flight scheduled to take them to Bengaluru was delayed, party sources said. The MLAs are being flown to Karnataka amid fears of cross-voting ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, and were to be housed there until the vote.
Congress leaders at the scene alleged the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Bhopal was delaying take-off clearance for the chartered aircraft. Party officials said the delay was “suspicious” and raised concerns that it could affect the MLAs’ timely arrival in Bengaluru and the party’s ability to securely manage voting arrangements. The Congress has routinely moved lawmakers out of the state before crucial polls to prevent defections and ensure disciplined voting.
With tight numbers in the state assembly, every MLA’s vote is pivotal, making the dispatch of lawmakers to a neutral location a common strategy for parties seeking to curb inducements and cross-voting.
Election experts said such pre-poll movements are standard practice in high-stakes Rajya Sabha battles, but added that any operational hiccup — including airport delays — can amplify tensions and suspicions.
Officials at the airport and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Local authorities typically cite air traffic management, runway congestion, or technical checks as reasons for withholding take-off clearance. The Congress, however, insisted the delay was politically motivated and called for immediate intervention by state officials.
What to watch next: whether the chartered flight eventually departs for Bengaluru, the arrival time of the MLAs, and how the party manages them during the lead-up to the Rajya Sabha ballot. The incident may also prompt scrutiny of airport operations and protocol when charter flights are used for political mobilization.
Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs, Rajya Sabha elections 2026, Bhopal airport delay, charter flight to Bengaluru, cross-voting fears, ATC take-off clearance.