Bhubaneswar: Supporters of Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammad Moquim and Chiranjib Biswal Friday staged a demonstration near Congress Bhavan here demanding the withdrawal of the suspension order on the duo.
The supporters of Moquim and Chiranjib attempted to enter the Congress Bhavan to talk to Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattnayak. However, they were not allowed entry into the state Congress headquarters.
They then staged a demonstration at Master Canteen against the suspension.
They termed the suspension of the two leaders as “undemocratic”.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) earlier placed both leaders under suspension on charge of anti-party activities.
The action was taken based on the recommendation of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the AICC.
Both the leaders were accused of criticising the state Congress leadership at a meeting on May 8 leading to party candidate’s humiliating defeat in the Jharsuguda by-poll.
“The way in which the party suspended the two leaders has hurt the Congress workers.
The suspension orders are not justified as the two leaders worked for strengthening the party in the state,” a supporter said.
Congress leader from Cuttack, Giribala Behera said, “A number of party workers from different parts of the state have assembled here on their own to protest the action against Mohammad Moquim and Chiranjib Biswal.
We urged the high command to immediately revoke suspension and work for uniting the party workers.”
After the suspension, Biswal had claimed that he was the victim of a coterie in the party.
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“The leaders who have not won a single election in last 25 years have hatched a conspiracy to oust me from the party,” Biswal, a two-time MLA said.
“If speaking the truth is a crime, then I have done it”, Biswal said.
Both Moquim and Biswal have said that they continued to remain in the party and will fight the next election as Congress candidates.
Pattnayak said all should abide by the order of the AICC.
PTI
