Rajya Sabha polls: Odisha Congress suspends three MLAs for cross-voting

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) suspended three MLAs for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections held on Monday (March 16).

Rajya Sabha elections highlights on March 16, 2026

Ramesh Jena, Dasarathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous were suspended from the party.

It was a clean sweep for the BJP, which won all the three Rajya Sabha seats.

Datteswar Ray Hota, who was fielded as a common candidate by the Congress, the BJD and the Left, lost to hotelier and Independent backed by the BJP, Dilip Ray.

As many as 11 MLAs from the BJD and the Congress voted for Mr. Dilip Ray against the whip issued by two parties.

“Congress MLAs Ramesh Jena, Dasarathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous have cross voted in favour of BJP’s candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections. This act of betrayal was unexpected from them. We will ensure that they are expelled under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution,” Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das had told the reporters on Monday (March 16).