The Congress party in Odisha submitted a formal petition to the Assembly Speaker on Wednesday, seeking the disqualification of two of its MLAs under the anti-defection law, as outlined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. This action is based on allegations that MLAs Dasharathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha biennial elections, failing to support the Congress-backed candidate, Dr. Datteshwar Hota, and instead voting for the BJP-supported candidate, Dilip Ray.

The petitions indicate that both MLAs had previously received show-cause notices due to their public statements and actions. Despite responding to these notices, they allegedly continued to challenge and criticize the decisions made by the party leadership at both state and national levels.

The Congress argues that such behavior can be seen as ‘voluntarily giving up membership’ under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule. Citing the disqualification of veteran politician Sharad Yadav, the party emphasized that a formal resignation is not necessary for disqualification; it can be inferred from a member’s actions or statements that contradict the party’s official stance.

The Congress described the actions of the two MLAs as a significant violation of party discipline and constitutional provisions, requesting the cancellation of their Assembly membership. A delegation from the Congress, led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das, met with Speaker Surama Padhy to submit a memorandum urging appropriate action under constitutional guidelines.

The delegation included Congress Legislature Party Deputy Leader Ashok Das, Chief Whip S. Rajan Ekka, and MLAs Sagar Das, Pabitra Saunta, and Mangu Khila. The party has called on the Speaker to initiate necessary proceedings to disqualify the two legislators in accordance with the law. Notably, the party has not sought the disqualification of Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Jena, who also reportedly voted against the party’s whip.