Bhubaneswar: Suspended MLAs Sanatan Mahakud and Arvind Mohapatra were part of a mid-day operation to weaken the BJD, party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty alleged on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, Mohanty defended the suspensions ordered by BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, emphasising the party’s strict zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, betrayal, and violations of party guidelines. “It was a conscious decision reached after months of careful consideration and feedback from grassroots workers,” he noted.
Mohanty asserted that concrete evidence supported the action against the two legislators, whom he labeled as “corrupt traitors.” Mahakud represents Champua in Keonjhar district, while Arvind is the first-time MLA from Patkura in Kendrapada.
The BJD spokespersons also dismissed attempts to segregate both MLAs, linking Mahakud’s suspension solely to missing a legislature party meeting. “Rumours are doing the rounds that Mahakud was suspended for missing a legislature party meeting. He was present in the last meeting and I had even interacted with him. Mahakud, Bijoy Mohapatra and his son Arvind Mohapatra were all part of a large conspiracy, with each of them assigned the separate tasks of consolidating forces against BJD, providing back-up, and executing the plan. Action was taken against the corrupts and the traitors on concrete evidence. An earlier midnight conspiracy against the BJD had already collapsed, and this mid-day manoeuvre met exactly the same end,” he claimed.
He was referring to the failed coup attempt against the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2012 by rebels, led by one time confidant Pyari Mohan Mohapatra.
Mohanty added: “Not all innocent faces reflect the truth.”
Bijay Mohapatra, one of the founding members of the BJD, was unceremoniously expelled by Naveen soon after the party came to power in Odisha in 2000. It was alleged that he attempted to avenge the humiliation through his son.
Later addressing a presser, Arvind dismissed these allegations as baseless and unfounded. “I have met MLA Mahakud only a few times at the Assembly and have never sat down with him for a chat. An unnecessary controversy is being created by dragging my father into it. Being a first-time MLA, I regard myself as a fresher and have been focussing on legislative duties and development works in my constituency,” he said.
He demanded transparency from the party leadership, questioning the identity of the “section of people” referenced in the accusations and seeking evidence of specific anti-party actions or meetings involving himself, his father, and Mahakud.
His suspension was earlier linked to his father Bijoy Mohapatra’s meetings with dissident BJD leaders to create a third front by breaking up the party. The Patkura MLA, however, clarified that his father has no interest in forming a new party.
When asked where he would vote for BJD candidates during the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, Arvind said he had not yet considered his voting stance, noting his suspended status might leave him to vote according to conscience, but reiterated his primary demand for clear answers and proof from the BJD. “I would like to have answers to my questions and evidence on my anti-party activity. When and where did the three of us meet? I have not indulged in any corrupt practices and have betrayed none,” he asserted.
Disquiet within the BJD has been fuelled by murmurs over nominations to the Rajya Sabha when the four seats fall vacant in April.
Arvind affirmed his commitment to continue serving the people of Patkura as their elected representative, regardless of his party status.
