BJD suspends 6 MLAs for cross-voting in Rajya Sabha polls
BHUBANESWAR, March 21:The Biju Janata Dal on Saturday suspended six of its MLAs for cross-voting during the recent election to four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha.The suspended legislators were Chakramani Kanhar of Baliguda seat, Naba Kishor Mallick of Jayadev constituency, Souvic Biswal of Choudwar-Cuttack, Subasini Jena of Basta, Ramakanta Bhoi of Tirtol and Devi Ranjan Tripathy of Banki, an order by party chief Naveen Patnaik showed.The six MLAs were issued a show-cause notice on March 17.They submitted their replies on Friday evening, and those were found not satisfactory, said the BJD’s chief whip in the Assembly, Pramila Mallik.The ruling BJP won two of the four Rajya Sabha seats while the opposition BJD and a saffron party-backed Independent candidate bagged one seat each in the biennial polls held last Monday. (PTI)
Clash between BJP, TMC supporters in Bengal
KOLKATA, March 21: BJP and TMC supporters clashed in Baranagar in WB’s North 24 Parganas district on Saturday over alleged tearing of campaign posters and hoardings.The incident took place in the presence of BJP candidate Sajal Ghosh and TMC nominee Sayantika Bandyopadhyay.Central forces and police personnel had a tough time controlling the situation as hundreds of supporters from both sides gathered and came face to face.Eyewitnesses said sloganeering was raised by both camps, escalating tension in the area. Bandyopadhyay alleged that her rival had brought “outsiders and anti-social elements” to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere. Ghosh alleged that TMC supporters had torn posters and hoardings put up by the BJP. (PTI)
