In a significant move, the Congress party has approached the Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker seeking the disqualification of two of its MLAs for defying the party whip during the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
The legislators in question — Dasarathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous — are accused of cross-voting for the BJP-supported candidate Dilip Ray instead of the Congress-backed Dr Datteswar Hota, in clear violation of party discipline and the anti-defection provisions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
A high-level delegation, led by PCC President Bhakta Das along with Legislature Party Deputy Leader Ashok Das, Chief Whip CS Rajan Ekka, and MLAs Sagar Das, Pabitra Saunta, and Manglu Khillo, met Speaker Surama Padhy on Wednesday and submitted a formal petition.
The party has demanded the immediate disqualification of the two MLAs, citing Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule, terming their action as ‘voluntary defection’. The petition states that both MLAs had earlier been issued show-cause notices but continued to criticise the party leadership openly. Sofia Firdous has also been accused of associating with her father, Mohammad Moquim, in forming a new political platform, seen as further anti-party activity.
The Congress delegation urged the Speaker to initiate appropriate constitutional proceedings against the erring legislators.
Party sources indicated that a show-cause notice has already been issued to another Congress MLA, Ramesh Jena from Sanakhemundi, for similar cross-voting, with further action to follow.
