Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Sarat Pattanayak has issued a show-cause notice to Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohamad Moquim for allegedly violating party’s discipline by voting for Draupadi Murmu. Moquim has been asked to respond in two weeks.
Meanwhile, such an act of MLA Moquim has created an uproar among other Odisha Congress lawmakers after casting his vote for NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu.
Moquim said that as there is no whip in Presidential election, he listened to his conscience and voted for Murmu. The Congress MLA said he expects people of Odisha will support his move and he will feel proud if his vote will add to the victory margin of Murmu.
Earlier, PCC President Sarat Pattnayak said, “No whip was issued to the MLAs but party high command had clearly notified Yashwant Sinha was our candidate and all had agreed to vote from him.”
His party colleagues Santosh Singh Saluja and Tara Prasad Bahinipati also critcised Moquim for voting in favour of Murmu. Bahinipati, however, said that it showed that he was not happy in the party.
