Bengaluru, March 13 -- Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday denied calling Odisha Congress MLAs to Bengaluru ahead of the biennial Rajya Sabha elections while admitting that he would meet them later.

Eight Odisha Congress MLAs, including chief whip CS Raazen Ekka, reached Bengaluru and are staying at a private resort.

Although he did not subscribe to the cross-voting and Operation Kamal reports, Shivakumar said that resort politics was not new for him.

Speaking to reporters, the Karnataka Deputy CM said, "I have not called Odisha MLAs; they have come to Bengaluru. I will go and meet them after the session is over."

"I don't know why they have come. Our PCC president from that state (Odisha) called and asked that our...