BJD Suspends Six MLAs For Cross-Voting In Rajya Sabha Polls
The cross-voting by BJD legislators proved decisive in ensuring BJP-backed Dilip Ray’s victory, dealing a significant setback to the regional party: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the principal Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, on Saturday suspended six of its MLAs for alleged cross-voting during the recent Rajya Sabha elections, a move that has exposed deepening fissures within the party.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) chaired by BJD president Naveen Patnaik.
The suspended legislators are Souvik Ranjan Biswal (Choudwar-Cuttack), Debi Ranjan Tripathy (Banki), Subashini Jena (Basta), Ramakanta Bhoi (Tirtole), Chakramani Kanhar (Baliguda) and Naba Kishore Mallick (Jayadev).
In addition, two other MLAs—Aravind Mohapatra (Patkura) and Sanatan Mahakud (Champua), who had earlier been suspended for anti-party activities— also voted in favour of Dilip Ray, the Bharatiya Janata Party-backed candidate.
The cross-voting by BJD legislators proved decisive in ensuring Ray’s victory, dealing a significant setback to the regional party, which has dominated Odisha politics for over two decades.
Prior to the disciplinary action, the BJD had issued show-cause notices to the dissenting MLAs, seeking an explanation for their conduct and warning of strict action, including a possible recommendation to the Speaker for their disqualification from the Assembly.
However, the rebel legislators have strongly contested the allegations. In their replies, they denied any wrongdoing and justified their support for Ray as a political statement against what they described as the party’s ideological shift.
Debi Ranjan Tripathy, one of the suspended MLAs, criticised the leadership’s recent political positioning, particularly its perceived proximity to the Indian National Congress.
“The BJD was born out of people’s anger against the Congress regime of the later 1990s. However, our party leadership has now aligned with the same party, compromising its founding principles and ideology. If the leadership proceeds with attempts to terminate our membership, we will challenge the decision in a court of law,” Tripathy said.
The development marks one of the most serious internal crises for the BJD in recent years, raising questions over party cohesion and leadership strategy in the post-2024 political landscape of Odisha.
Political observers note that the episode could have wider ramifications, not only for the BJD’s standing as the principal Opposition but also for future electoral alignments in the state.
