Congress Seeks Disqualification of MLA Ramesh Jena Over Cross Voting in Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: The Indian National Congress on Monday approached Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, seeking the disqualification of MLA Ramesh Jena and formally submitting a petition in this regard.

A delegation of senior state Congress leaders, including Rama Chandra Kadam, Bhakta Das and C.S. Razen Ekka, met the Speaker and handed over a memorandum pressing for Jena’s disqualification from the Assembly.

In a parallel development, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader also wrote to the Speaker, urging action against the suspended party MLA.

Party sources indicated that similar petitions had earlier been filed seeking the disqualification of MLAs Sofia Firdous and Dasarathi Gomango, pointing to a broader push by the party amid recent political developments in the state.

According to sources, the Congress MLAs had allegedly indulged in cross voting during the recent Rajya Sabha elections despite a party whip.

However, it is noteworthy that in Rajya Sabha elections, party whips are not considered binding, allowing legislators to vote according to their discretion — a factor that may influence the outcome of the disqualification plea.

The matter now rests with the Speaker, who is expected to examine the application and the surrounding circumstances before taking a decision. Congress leaders said they would await the ruling on the issue.