Political Turmoil in Odisha: Congress MLAs Suspended for Indiscipline

Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy suspended 12 Congress MLAs for indiscipline. The suspension followed a motion by Chief Whip Saroj Pradhan. The opposition termed the move an attempt to suppress dissent. Protests erupted, and the Assembly witnessed chaos, with multiple adjournments.

In a controversial move, Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy on Tuesday suspended 12 Congress MLAs for a week due to alleged indiscipline. The action followed a motion initiated by government Chief Whip Saroj Pradhan, which accused the legislators of misconduct in the House.

Among the suspended were prominent Congress figures such as CLP leader Rama Chandra Kadam and Satyajeet Gomango. Notably, MLAs Taraprasad Bahinipati and Ramesh Jena were spared, as they were absent during the proceedings. Meanwhile, the opposition erupted in protest, with Congress members creating a ruckus in the assembly.

Odisha's main opposition party, the BJD, criticized the suspension as an attempt to silence the opposition's voice. Congress members, led by OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, demanded the suspension's immediate revocation, citing the suppression of inquiries into crimes against women. Amid the turmoil, the Assembly was adjourned several times.

(With inputs from agencies.)