BHUBANESWAR: BJD on Saturday suspended six MLAs for cross-voting in the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls, reports Ashok Pradhan. Eight MLAs defied the party whip; the regional party led by ex-CM Naveen Patnaik had already suspended two other MLAs in Jan for anti-party activities. BJD chief whip Pramila Mallik said the party would recommend disqualification of the six MLAs.Eleven MLAs, eight from BJD and three from Congress, cross-voted during the RS election, ensuring the defeat of Datteswar Hota, who was backed by both parties. Former Union minister Dilip Ray won as an independent, backed by BJP and cross-votes from the 11 MLAs. Congress had suspended three MLAs and sought their disqualification.According to Mallik, BJD decided to suspend the six MLAs after going through their replies to a March 17 showcause.“The MLAs were suspended for involvement in anti-party activities, including crossvoting in the recent election to Rajya Sabha, violating the core principle of the BJD constitution, which mandates absolute loyalty to the party’s collective decisions,” a BJD statement said.The suspended MLAs are Chakramani Kanhar, Naba Kishore Mallick, Souvic Biswal, Subasini Jena, Ramakanta Bhoi and Devi Ranjan Tripathy. Arvind Mohapatra and Sanatan Mahakud were suspended in Jan.MLA Bhoi termed the action illegal. “For the Rajya Sabha election, the party can’t issue a whip,” he said. All six have termed the action illegal, arbitrary and an abuse of the process of law. They have threatened legal action against BJD chief whip Mallik for issuing the showcause.
