Bhubaneswar, March 17 (IANS) The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Tuesday suspended three of its legislators who had reportedly voted in favour of a BJP-backed Independent candidate, Dilip Ray, defying the party’s whip in the Rajya Sabha polling.

Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Chandra Jena, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, and Mohana MLA Dasarathi Gomango went against the party whip and supported Dilip Ray, leading to the defeat of Dr Datteshwar Hota, the common candidate fielded by the opposition Congress and Biju Janata Dal.

The chairman of the party’s disciplinary action committee, Sujit Padhi, informed about the suspension of the three leaders in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

“In the just concluded Rajya Sabha elections, Congress legislators Ramesh Jena, Dasarathi Gomango, and Sofia Firdous were suspended from the party for engaging in anti-party activities. It was noted that these three MLAs violated the party whip and cast their votes in favour of a BJP-supported candidate, going against the party’s ideology. Since their actions not only broke party discipline but also undermined the interests of the Congress party, the Pradesh Congress Committee decided to take this disciplinary step,” said Padhi.

The OPCC has also proposed to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) the expulsion of these three legislators — Jena, Gomango, and Firdous — from the party.

In a veiled attack on the three MLAs, the party termed them as traitors on its official X handle on Tuesday for voting in favour of BJP-backed Dilip Ray during the Rajya Sabha polls.

“Opponents fight you from the outside; traitors weaken you from the inside,” alleged the party on X.

In another significant development, the Cuttack City District Congress President Giribala Behera has been expelled from the primary membership of the party over continuous involvement in anti-party activities.

“Due to continuously failing to implement party directives and engaging in anti-party activities, Cuttack City District Congress President Giribala Behera has been expelled from the primary membership of the Congress party with the approval of the President of the Pradesh Congress Committee,” said the chairman of the Congress disciplinary action committee.

It is pertinent to mention that as many as 11 legislators, including eight from the BJD and three from the Congress, cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha biennial elections held on Monday, resulting in the victory of Dilip Ray.

–IANS

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