Odisha: BJD issues show cause notice to 6 MLAs on cross voting in Rajya Sabha elections

Bhubaneswar: The internal situation of Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came to light during the Rajya Sabha elections. There are signs of disintegration of this party which has been in power for a long time. During the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha, its MLAs did cross voting due to which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported independent candidate Dilip Rai was successful in winning the election. A day after this ‘cross-voting’, on Tuesday, the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) issued a show cause notice to its six MLAs and sought clarification. The party has termed his action as “betrayal”.

Answer sought by March 20

BJD Chief Whip Pramila Malik has written a letter to Chakramani Kanhar (Baliguda), Naba Kishore Malik (Jaidev), Souvik Viswal (Choudwar-Cuttack), Subasini Jena (Basta), Ramakant Bhoi (Tiratol) and Devi Ranjan Tripathi (Banki), asking them to reply by 5 pm on March 20. In the letter, Malik said that if he does not give a satisfactory reply within the stipulated time frame, it will be assumed that he has no explanation and the party will be free to take unilateral action as per the law and BJD’s constitution and rules.

Elections were held for four Rajya Sabha seats in the state on Monday. BJP won two seats, BJD got one seat and Dilip Rai was victorious on one seat. Meanwhile, BJD MLA from Tirtol Ramakant Bhoi, while talking to a private news channel, claimed that he was forcibly brought from his residence and kept in Naveen Niwas the night before voting. Bhoi said, “Despite my repeated requests, I was not allowed to go out of the Naveen Niwas premises even at night. I asked them (party leaders) whether they want my vote or want to keep me there. I had clearly said that if I was not allowed to go, I would not vote for him.

Congress suspended three MLAs

The BJP on Tuesday suspended three of its MLAs for voting in favor of independent candidate Dilip Rai and helping him win the Rajya Sabha elections. These MLAs include Ramesh Chandra Jena of Sanakhemundi, Dashrathi Gomango of Mohana and Sophia Firdous of Barabati-Cuttack. According to the party, these MLAs had voted in favor of Rai during the Rajya Sabha elections on Monday. State Congress President Bhakta Charan Das said, “Such betrayal was not expected from these MLAs.” We will ensure that he is disqualified from the Assembly under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

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