Congress expels 3 Odisha MLAs for ‘cross-voting’ in Rajya Sabha polls

The Indian National Congress on Tuesday expelled three of its Odisha MLAs—Sofia Firdous, Ramesh Jena, and Dasarathi Gamango—for defying the party whip and cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections. The legislators were accused of supporting Independent candidate Dilip Ray, who was backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, instead of the party’s endorsed nominee.

In a strongly worded statement, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee described the act as a betrayal, stating that those who defied the party line had effectively “betrayed the nation.” The party also launched a public campaign on social media criticising the MLAs, underscoring the seriousness of the breach during a crucial electoral exercise.

The controversy stems from the Rajya Sabha contest in Odisha, where Congress had extended support to a joint candidate with the Biju Janata Dal. However, internal dissent had surfaced earlier, with the expelled MLAs openly criticising the alliance and indicating their unwillingness to follow the party directive. Show-cause notices had been issued prior to the vote.

Party leaders have also indicated that further action may follow under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection. State Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das had warned that the MLAs could face disqualification proceedings for violating the party whip during the election.

The cross-voting played a significant role in the outcome of the Rajya Sabha elections, where the BJP secured two seats, the BJD one, and Dilip Ray clinched the fourth seat as an Independent candidate. The result marked a setback for the Congress-BJD combine and highlighted internal fractures within both parties amid shifting political alignments in the state.