Rajya Sabha Elections in Odisha Descend Into Chaos Over Alleged Illegal Voting
A significant political controversy erupted on Monday during the Rajya Sabha polls in Odisha, casting a shadow over the electoral process. The dispute centered around BJP legislator from Brahmagiri, Upasana Mohapatra, who was allegedly permitted to cast a second ballot after claiming her initial vote was compromised due to a malfunctioning pen.
BJD Labels Second Vote as Illegal, BJP Defends Action
Biju Janata Dal president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik strongly condemned the incident, labeling it as "illegal" and a blatant violation of democratic norms. Patnaik asserted that the presiding officer had "illegally accepted" Mohapatra's vote and issued a second ballot paper, which he argued was completely against established election rules.
"This is totally against democratic norms and a violation of election rules. We strongly object to it, but they are not listening, thereby destroying the democratic process," Patnaik told reporters, emphasizing his party's firm opposition to the decision.
In sharp contrast, BJP MLA Saroj Padhi countered these allegations, stating there was "no illegality at all" in the proceedings. Padhi maintained that polling officials had merely followed standard protocols and rules in allowing the second vote, dismissing BJD's claims as baseless.
Heated Arguments and Cross-Voting Revelations
The request for a fresh ballot triggered intense and heated arguments between representatives of the BJD and BJP before polling officials ultimately granted permission for the second vote. This marked Odisha's first contested Rajya Sabha election since 2014, when Congress nominee Ranjib Biswal defeated BJD-backed Independent Raghunath Mohapatra, who also had BJP support.
Meanwhile, the election aftermath revealed significant internal dissent within the BJD, with several party MLAs openly criticizing the leadership after voting against party lines. Choudwar–Cuttack MLA Souvic Biswal admitted to cross-voting, describing his action as fulfilling "the duty of a son" in response to his father, former MLA Pravat Biswal, being "insulted" by the party. Pravat Biswal was recently expelled from BJD after questioning the party's choice of Rajya Sabha candidates.
"I am even ready to die for my father," Souvic Biswal declared, adding that he voted for the candidate he believed carried the blessings of Biju Babu.
Multiple Defections and Allegations of Horse-Trading
Banki MLA Debi Ranjan Tripathy also confessed to cross-voting, criticizing what he described as an alleged understanding between BJD and Congress for the Rajya Sabha election. Tripathy praised Dilip Ray as the "true representative of Biju legacy" and referenced his own long association with Biju Patnaik.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik slammed the BJP and its allies for engaging in what he characterized as horse-trading, noting that he had previously warned about such attempts in recent days. Pratap Keshari Deb, Aul MLA and BJD's authorized agent for the Rajya Sabha elections, confirmed that eight BJD legislators had cross-voted.
The list of defectors includes:
- Suspended MLAs Aravind Mohapatra and Sanatan Mahakud
- Chakramani Kanhar
- Subasini Jena
- Naba Kishore Mallick
- Ramakanta Bhoi
- Souvic Biswal
- Debi Ranjan Tripathy
This electoral controversy has raised serious questions about procedural integrity and party discipline in Odisha's political landscape, with both major parties trading accusations while the state witnessed its first competitive Rajya Sabha election in nearly a decade.
