TNI Bureau: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly criticized certain party MLAs for alleged cross-voting during the recent Rajya Sabha elections, calling the incident a “black day for democracy” and a betrayal of the party’s core principles.

The party, founded on the ideals of former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, expressed outrage that some legislators defied the directives of party president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik.

According to BJD leaders, these MLAs were allegedly involved in “horse-trading” and voted against the party line in exchange for money, thereby undermining democratic values.

At a press conference held at Sankha Bhawan, senior leaders including former Speaker and Chief Whip of the Opposition Pramila Mallik, along with MLAs Byomkesh Ray and Dhruva Charan Sahu, condemned the actions of the dissenting legislators. They accused them of betraying the party’s ideology and supporting a “tainted candidate” through cross-voting.

Pramila Mallik stated that those who engaged in cross-voting in favor of a BJP-supported candidate are now invoking the “Biju legacy” to save themselves from public embarrassment. She alleged that these individuals had once opposed Naveen Patnaik but were later rehabilitated politically by him, being given positions of power for themselves and their family members. Despite this, they have now “sold themselves for money” and betrayed the trust placed in them.

Echoing similar sentiments, Byomkesh Ray described the episode as shameful, alleging that large sums of money exchanged hands and that some MLAs were even sheltered to facilitate the process. He also criticized attempts by certain legislators to justify their actions on ideological grounds, calling such claims misleading and aimed at avoiding public backlash.

Dhruva Charan Sahu, meanwhile, praised the integrity of the Rengali MLA, who reportedly refused an offer of ₹15 crore to vote against the party and instead remained loyal. He contrasted this with the actions of other leaders who, despite benefiting from Naveen Patnaik’s support in the past, chose to go against the party.

Sahu further alleged that veteran Leader Bijoy Mohapatra had been conspiring for the past three months to split the BJD. He claimed that Mohapatra himself admitted to preparing a “blueprint” to weaken the party. The leadership also recalled past instances of alleged betrayal in Odisha politics, linking them to the current developments.

The BJD leadership concluded by reiterating that such acts of cross-voting and alleged monetary influence not only damage the party but also erode the foundations of democracy and public trust.