Bhubaneswar: As many as 61 sarpanches, four naib sarpanches and nine chairpersons of panchayat samitis have been unseated through no-confidence motions in Odisha over the last two years, panchayati raj minister Rabi Narayan Naik informed the assembly on Tuesday.Replying to a question from BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb, Naik said Dhenkanal recorded the highest number of sarpanches removed through no-confidence motions at eight, followed by Kalahandi with seven. Ganjam and Puri reported five such cases each. The minister also said 15 elected representatives of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) were suspended during the period in connection with cases involving corruption and misappropriation of govt funds.In addition, prosecution has been initiated against four PRI representatives in cases related to alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds, he added. Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said the development would only strengthen the opposition and amplify its voice. BJD MLA Byomakesh Ray alleged that the ruling BJP was trying to poach grassroots representatives even as public sentiment was increasingly turning against the state govt. However, BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty said the trend reflected the party’s growing support base at the grassroots level, claiming that sarpanches backed by the BJD were steadily losing support.
