Reported by Chinmaya Dehury

Bhubaneswar, Feb 6:

Suspecting possible horse trading in the Rajya Sabha elections on Friday after the ‘poaching’ of Talcher MLA by the ruling BJD just a day before, Congress candidate Ranjib Biswal today informed the Election Commission of India as well as the State Electoral Officer (SEO) about the development and urged them to debar Pradhan from voting on Friday.

Brajakishore Pradhan, MLA, Talcher Brajakishore Pradhan, MLA, Talcher

“I have faxed a letter to ECI and SEO informing them about the  joining of Pradhan in the ruling party and extending support to BJD backed Independent candidate Raghunath Mohapatra. Since there is horse trading, Pradhan should be debarred from the voting process in the Rajya Sabha polls,” Biswal told OST.

Upset over the development, the Congress delegation also met the special observer for Rajya Sabha Anil Jha and urged him not to allow Pradhan to cast his vote.

It is to be noted that the Talcher MLA was one of the proposers for Biswal.

He along, with Champua MLA Jitu Patnaik, met chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the morning, completely changing the arithmetic of the Rajya Sabha polls.

Both have announced that they would abide by the directive of the their new ‘leader’ in voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, queering the pitch for Biswal in the process.