Bhubaneswar (Odisha)

Odisha Congress on Thursday wrote to the Assembly Speaker demanding the disqualification of two MLAs, Dasarathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous, for alleged cross-voting in Rajya Sabha elections.

The Chief Whip of the Congress, CS Raazen Ekka, wrote to Speaker Surama Padhy, making the demand, citing a violation of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Speaking with ANI, he said that the party will soon be filing a similar demand regarding MLA Ramesh Jena.

"The party has taken action against three MLAs, including one female MLA and two male MLAs, under the Anti-Defection Law for engaging in anti-party activities. The party has already suspended these MLAs and has filed petitions against two of them with the Speaker, seeking the cancellation of their seats, similar to the Sharad Yadav case. The Speaker will consider the procedure and make a decision. If it seems incorrect, then by law, the party can challenge it in court." Ekka said.

"Evidence has been collected against two MLAs, and a petition will also be filed against the third MLA today. The party is following the prescribed procedure and has gathered sufficient evidence to support their claims," he added.

This comes after, on Tuesday, Odisha Congress suspended three MLAs, Sofia Firdous, Ramesh Jena and Dasarathi Gomango, for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress has 14 MLAs in the assembly and had extended support to BJD candidate Datteswar Hota for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, but cross-voting from BJD and Congress MLAs saw BJP-backed independent candidate Dilip Ray clinch the seat from the opposition's hands.

The cross-voting from BJD and Congress in favour of Ray left the opposition only with one candidate's victory in the Rajya Sabha polls, while the BJP secured two comfortable seats and one going to an independent candidate.

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Chairman of the Media of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, Arabinda Das, said that the party has suspended the MLAs for "anti-party activities".

"Yesterday, in the Rajya Sabha election, three members from the Congress Legislature party defied the party, and they did cast their votes in favour of the BJP-supported candidate... They were duly suspended from the party with immediate effect. Dasarathi Gomango, the DCC President for Gajapati. Ramesh Jena, who represents the Sanakhemundi constituency in the Niam district in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, and MLA representing the Barabati-Cuttack constituency, Sofia Firdous. All three of them have been suspended from the party due to anti-party activities," he said.