Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD Tuesday saluted its Rengalai MLA Sudarshan Haripal, for declining to accept money to vote against the party in the Rajya Sabha elections and instead remaining loyal to former chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
While addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, BJD leaders Pramila Mallik, MLAs Byomkesh Ray and Dhruba Charan Sahoo praised the 44-year-old first-time legislator from Rengali in Sambalpur district.
“We salute the honesty and loyalty of BJD’s Rengali MLA for refusing an offer of Rs 15 crore to vote against the party and instead remaining loyal to the party,” said Sahoo.
He said that the lawmaker, though not rich, has proved that he believes in the ideology of legendary Biju Patnaik, after whose name the regional outfit BJD was named.
At the same time, the BJD leaders strongly condemned eight party MLAs for cross-voting.
“The eight MLAs, who and their family have benefited from BJD, did not hesitate to backstab Naveen Patnaik by cross-voting in favour of a BJP-supported Independent candidate,” alleged Mallik.
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