Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday directed suspended MLAs Arvind Mohapatra and Sanatan Mahakud to strictly follow the party whip in Monday’s Rajya Sabha polls in Odisha.
Both legislators were suspended from the party on January 15 for alleged anti-party activities. In separate letters, Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik reminded them that their suspension does not absolve them of their constitutional obligations as members elected on the party symbol.
“You were elected to the Odisha Assembly as a candidate of the BJD. You have been placed under suspension from the party due to anti-party activities, but such suspension does not absolve you from your constitutional obligations as a member elected on the party symbol,” Mallik wrote. She added that any act of voting against the whip or abstaining without prior permission could attract provisions under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, including disqualification on the grounds of voluntarily giving up party membership.
Mallik also noted that compliance with the party whip will be considered by the leadership while reviewing the matter relating to their suspension.
Mohapatra represents Patkura in Kendrapara district, while Mahakud is the MLA from Champua in Keonjhar. The BJD has issued a whip directing all its MLAs to vote in favour of the party’s authorised candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections.
