NewKerala.com

BJD Warns Suspended MLAs Ahead of Crucial Rajya Sabha Polls

The Biju Janata Dal has issued a notice to its two suspended MLAs, directing them to vote for the party's official candidate in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. The party warned that defying the whip could lead to disqualification under the Constitution's anti-defection law. BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has accused the BJP and its candidates of attempting horse-trading to influence the democratic process. The elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across ten states are scheduled for March 16.

Key Points: BJD Notice to Suspended MLAs for Rajya Sabha Vote

  • BJD issues whip to suspended MLAs
  • Warns of disqualification under anti-defection law
  • Patnaik alleges BJP horse-trading
  • Rajya Sabha polls for 37 seats on March 16
2 min read

BJD issues notice to two suspended MLAs ahead of Rajya Sabha poll

BJD issues whip to suspended MLAs for Rajya Sabha polls, warns of disqualification for defying party directive amid horse-trading allegations.

"The BJP and their three Rajya Sabha candidates are all trying their best to engage in horse trading, which is an offence to win this democratic election. - Naveen Patnaik"

Bhubaneswar, March 15

The Biju Janata Dal on Sunday issued a notice to two of its suspended MLAs, Sanatan Mahakud and Arabinda Mohapatra, directing them to vote in favour of the party's authorised candidate in the forthcoming election to the Rajya Sabha.

Both MLAs, elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly as BJD candidates, were placed under suspension for alleged anti-party activities. However, the party clarified that suspension does not relieve them of their constitutional obligations as members elected on the party symbol.

The notice stated that the whip instructs all its members to vote in favour of the party's authorised candidate. The party has warned that any act of voting against the whip, or abstaining without prior permission, could invoke provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, including disqualification on grounds of voluntarily giving up party membership.

A day earlier, Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with party leaders in Bhubaneswar to discuss the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Patnaik raised concerns about alleged horse trading for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Speaking to the media, Patnaik said, "Our party MLAs and all of us have just had a meeting with the concerned officers about the process of the elections for the upcoming Rajya Sabha. The BJP and their three Rajya Sabha candidates are all trying their best to engage in horse trading, which is an offence to win this democratic election."

Earlier, Patnaik issued a three-line whip to all party MLAs, directing them to remain in attend party meetings in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

The polling for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.

The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Horse trading accusations are serious. If true, it undermines our democracy. But all parties do this finger-pointing. Need more transparency in these internal elections. 🤔
R
Rohit P
Typical political drama before Rajya Sabha polls. Suspended but still forced to vote for the party. Shows how much individual MLAs' voices matter in our system. Not much.
A
Ananya R
Respectfully, while party discipline is important, this seems heavy-handed. If MLAs were suspended for anti-party activities, why force them to vote now? It feels contradictory. The focus should be on ethical politics, not just winning numbers.
D
David E
Interesting to see the Tenth Schedule being invoked. The anti-defection law is a double-edged sword. It provides stability but also kills dissent within parties. A complex issue for Indian democracy.
M
Meera T
Naveen Patnaik has always run a tight ship in Odisha. This is just maintaining that control. The notice is a legal formality to ensure no loopholes are exploited. Smart move politically.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50