Congress suspends 3 Odisha MLAs for cross-voting in Rajya Sabha polls

The suspended MLAs are Ramesh Chandra Jena of Sanakhemundi, Dasarathi Gomango of Mohana and Sofia Firdous of Barabati-Cuttack.

New Delhi: Cracking the whip, Congress on Tuesday suspended three MLAs in Odisha from the party after they cross-voted in favour of a BJP-backed candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections leading to the defeat of the Opposition common candidate, saying those "betrayed" the party are "betraying the nation".

It also warned that action is on the way against five MLAs in Haryana, who backed the BJP-backed candidates in the state during the polls, though the Congress managed to scrape through in the polls. Action may also follow against three party MLAs in Bihar, who remained absent for voting, which led to the defeat of RJD candidate.

While the Odisha Congress initially posted on X that it has expelled the three lawmakers, a letter from Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said they were suspended with immediate effect, in connection with cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls “in violation of the stand and directions of the party”.

The MLAs who faced action were Sana Khemundi MLA Ramesh Jena, Barabati Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous and Mohahna's Dasarath Gamango. The Odisha Congress said they had defied the party whip and voted for a candidate supported by the BJP.

"Those who betray Congress are betraying the nation," it said on its official X handle. In a separate post earlier, it said posting photos of the three MLAs on X, "opponents fight you from the outside; traitors weaken you from the inside."

Odisha saw all two BJP candidates – Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar – and BJD’s Santrupt Misra winning. BJP-backed independent Dilip Ray gave a shocker to BJD-Congress common candidate Datteswar Hota, who on paper had enough numbers to cross the hurdle, but was undone by three Congress and eight BJD MPs who voted in favour of BJP-backed candidates.

Senior Haryana MP Deepender Hooda told reporters that five MLAs had cross voted and action would soon follow against them. While he refused to identify the MLAs, sources said Renu Bala (Sadhaura), Shaily Chaudhary (Naraingarh), Jarnail Singh (Ratia), Mohammad Ilyas (Punhana) and Mohammad Israil (Hathin) were the MLAs who cross-voted.