Bhubaneswar: High drama unfolded in the Odisha Legislative Assembly today as 12 suspended Congress legislators staged a dharna near Speaker Surama Padhy’s podium, announcing their intention to continue the protest overnight. They refused to vacate the House despite the Speaker adjourning proceedings until tomorrow.

The Speaker was forced to adjourn the House after repeated sloganeering by Congress MLAs over their seven-day suspension disrupted proceedings. Despite directives to leave, the legislators remained adamant.

Meanwhile, members of the Odisha Youth Congress staged a protest at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar, announcing plans to conduct last rites of an effigy of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Earlier, Speaker Surama Padhy suspended the 12 Congress MLAs for alleged misconduct and violation of Assembly norms. The suspension followed a proposal by Government Chief Whip Saroj Pradhan, which was passed in the House.

The suspended MLAs are Rama Chandra Kadam (Pottangi), C.S. Raazen Ekka (Rajgangpur), Dasarathi Gamango (Mohana), Ashok Kumar Das (Basudevpur), Satyajeet Gamango (Gunupur), Sagar Charan Das (Bhawanipatna), Kadraka Appala Swamy (Rayagada), Prafulla Chandra Pradhan (Kandhamal), Pabitra Saunta (Koraput), Sofia Firdous (Barabati-Cuttack), Mangu Khilla (Chitrakonda), and Nilamadhab Hikaka (Bissam Cuttack).

The protest intensified in the afternoon when the House reconvened after an earlier adjournment. The Congress legislators created a ruckus by beating gongs and playing flutes, further disrupting Assembly proceedings.