BJD and BJP MLAs confronted each other in a heated Odisha Assembly clash during Monday’s Rajya Sabha elections.
Lawmakers from both parties jostled over BJD MLA Naba Kishor Mallick from Jayadev constituency. Mallick arrived with an unknown outsider to cast his vote, prompting BJD members to object fiercely. BJP MLAs then attempted to escort him into the voting chamber, leading to verbal exchanges that escalated into physical pushing outside room 54.
The Odisha Assembly clash intensified as MLAs shouted and faced off, creating chaos in the secure premises. BJD MLA Tusharkanti Behera accused the outsider of grabbing Mallick’s hand, offering money, and pressuring him to vote a certain way. Behera labelled the incident a “murder of democracy” and questioned how an unauthorised person breached assembly security amid heightened protections.
In response, BJP’s Manoranjan Dyan Samantara claimed his party provided Mallick protection because opponents threatened him. The confrontation highlighted ongoing tactics like horse-trading and cross-voting in Rajya Sabha polls, though such open clashes remain rare in Odisha’s legislative history.
Voting proceeded smoothly earlier, but the afternoon episode drew widespread attention. Observers noted this marked the first time rival MLAs openly vied for a single voter’s allegiance inside the assembly. Authorities contained the situation without further escalation, but the event underscored deepening rivalries between BJD and BJP ahead of key polls.
