The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has moved the Speaker of the Odisha Assembly seeking disqualification of eight MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections held on March 16.
Senior party leaders argue that the legislators voluntarily gave up party membership by defying the official whip and making public statements against the party, thereby inviting action under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
The party has submitted detailed dossiers outlining alleged anti-party activities of each MLA. Two legislators—Arvind Mohapatra and Sanatan Mahakud—were suspended before the poll, while six others faced suspension and show-cause notices after the cross-voting. Among them are Chakramani Kanhar, Naba Kishore Mallick, Souvic Biswal, Subasini Jena, Ramakanta Bhoi, and Devi Ranjan Tripathy.
BJD leaders cited precedents such as the disqualification of JD(U) MP Sharad Yadav in 2017 and six Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh in 2024 to strengthen their case. However, MLA Devi Ranjan Tripathy contested the move, arguing that voting for a candidate of his choice should not be grounds for disqualification.
The cross-voting led to the defeat of the BJD-Congress supported independent candidate Datteswar Hota, prompting sharp criticism from the opposition.
Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari remarked that suspended MLAs cannot be bound by a party whip, questioning the validity of the BJD’s petition.
