The Odisha Assembly witnessed a telling scene today as 10 out of 11 MLAs who reportedly cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections were noticeably absent. Following the surprise victory of independent candidate Dilip Ray, a wave of disciplinary tension has swept through the BJD and Congress camps.
Among the high-profile absentees were Congress’s Sophia Firdous and Ramesh Jena, alongside BJD’s Devi Ranjan Tripathi and Sauvik Biswal. Interestingly, only Patkura MLA Arvind Mohapatra—already suspended from the BJD—was present for House proceedings.
Speculation is rife that both parties are preparing strict punitive actions against the defectors.
Meanwhile, victor Dilip Ray has announced a gathering to formally thank his supporters, suggesting the missing legislators may have traded the Assembly floor for a celebratory meet-up with their new political ally. The "rebel" bloc now faces a dual challenge: party wrath and public scrutiny.