Biju Janata Dal Takes Strict Action Against Six MLAs for Cross-Voting
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the principal opposition party in Odisha, has taken decisive disciplinary action by suspending six of its Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). This suspension follows their involvement in cross-voting during the recent election for four Rajya Sabha seats from the state. The move underscores the party's commitment to maintaining internal discipline and loyalty among its members.
Details of the Suspended Legislators
The six MLAs who have been suspended are: Chakramani Kanhar from the Baliguda constituency, Naba Kishor Mallick representing Jayadev, Souvic Biswal of Choudwar-Cuttack, Subasini Jena from Basta, Ramakanta Bhoi of Tirtol, and Devi Ranjan Tripathy from Banki. The suspension order was issued by BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, highlighting the seriousness with which the party views this breach of trust.
Decision-Making Process and Show-Cause Notices
The suspension decision was finalized during a meeting of the BJD's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which was presided over by Naveen Patnaik. Prior to this, on March 17, the six MLAs were issued show-cause notices, demanding an explanation for their actions during the Rajya Sabha polls. They submitted their replies on Friday evening, but these responses were found to be unsatisfactory, as confirmed by Pramila Mallik, the BJD's chief whip in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. This led directly to the suspension, reflecting the party's zero-tolerance policy towards indiscipline.
Background of the Rajya Sabha Elections
The biennial Rajya Sabha polls were held last Monday, with four seats from Odisha up for grabs. In a significant political development, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured two of these seats, while the BJD and an Independent candidate backed by the saffron party won one seat each. This outcome was particularly notable given the composition of the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, where the BJP, along with Independent MLAs supporting it, has a strength of 82 legislators.
However, the BJP candidates received 93 first preference votes during the election, which is 11 more than their actual strength in the Assembly. According to official sources, these additional votes included eight from BJD MLAs and three from Congress legislators. This cross-voting played a crucial role in the election results, prompting the BJD to take swift action against its errant members to prevent such occurrences in the future and to send a strong message about party discipline.
The suspension of these six MLAs is expected to have implications for the political dynamics in Odisha, as it may affect the BJD's strategy and internal cohesion ahead of future elections. The party's leadership has emphasized the importance of unity and adherence to party directives, especially in critical parliamentary polls like those for the Rajya Sabha.
