Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress on Saturday accused the ruling BJP of making horse-trading attempts ahead of Monday’s Rajya Sabha elections, even as Congress MLA Sofia Firdous publicly questioned her party’s understanding with the BJD in backing a common independent candidate. The BJP, meanwhile, strongly denied the allegations.Responding to media queries outside the assembly, BJD president Naveen Patnaik said, “The BJP and its three Rajya Sabha candidates are trying their best to horse-trade, which is an offence.” The former chief minister had first made allegation about horse-trading by the BJP on March 11.Byomakesh Ray, BJD MLA, went further, alleging that CM Mohan Charan Majhi was personally reaching out to the MLAs. He warned that any legislator voting against the party line would face backlash from constituents.Countering the allegation, BJP Odisha co-in-charge Lata Usendi said, “Naveen is performing his duty as an opposition leader. But he also knows the truth.”Former Union minister and Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi said no one can beat Naveen in horse-trading. “In the past, I had also been approached by his men when I was an MLA. He has no moral right to speak on horse-trading,” he said.Union minister Jual Oram asserted that the two BJP candidates, Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, and BJP-backed Independent candidate Dilip Ray will win comfortably.Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam also accused the BJP of attempting to poach MLAs, saying those who defy the party line would face disciplinary action.Rejected allegations of horse-trading, BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra said the BJD and Congress appeared to have “accepted defeat”. “The BJD fears their MLAs may not listen to their leadership. They will exercise their conscience votes,” he said.At the same time, Congress MLA Firdous voiced her displeasure with the party’s strategy, questioning its decision to align with the BJD for the Rajya Sabha election. “While the BJD has largely supported BJP in Parliament and outside, Congress should not have tied up with the party. There was no consultation with MLAs who will vote in the election,” she said, leaving her voting preference unclear.The BJD and Congress are jointly backing Datteswar Hota as an independent candidate, who have the numbers to win if the MLAs vote as per the party lines.Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das said the decision to back Hota was taken as per the direction of the party high command. “No one here can take such decisions individually. The matter was discussed within the party, and MLAs have been asked to work together to ensure the success of the Congress-backed candidate,” he said.(With inputs from Manabesh Mohanty in Cuttack)
