The Congress party on Tuesday expelled three of its Odisha legislators for cross-voting in the recent Rajya Sabha elections, effectively aiding a sweep by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. The party’s action follows confirmation that the MLAs voted for candidates supported by the BJP.
Odisha Congress MLAs Expelled After Rajya Sabha Vote
Ramesh Jena, MLA of Sana Khemundi; Sofia Firdous, MLA of Barabati Cuttack; and Dasarath Gamango, MLA of Mohahna, have been expelled for defying the party whip and supporting a BJP-backed candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, according to a post on the state Congress’ X account (@INCOdisha).
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gained an advantage in Monday’s Rajya Sabha polls across ten states, with several opposition MLAs voting in favor of its candidates. Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das confirmed after the results that the three MLAs had voted for the BJP.
Sofia Firdous, a first-time MLA elected in 2024, had previously expressed disagreement with the Congress’ decision to support the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate, stating the party did not consult its MLAs regarding the candidate selection. She characterized the BJD as the “B-team” of the BJP, alleging support for the BJP on key issues.
The BJP secured three of the four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha, with Manmohan Samal and former BJD leader Sujeet Kumar winning the elections. Dr. Santrupt Mishra of the BJD also won a seat.
In the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, the BJP holds 79 seats and the support of three Independents, totaling 82. The BJD has 50 MLAs, with two currently suspended, leaving 48 effective votes. The Congress has 14 MLAs, and the CPI(M) has one.
The fourth seat was contested between BJP-backed independent candidate Dilip Ray and Datteswar Hota, a common candidate supported by the BJD and Congress. Ray won the seat, mirroring a similar victory in 2002 when he secured votes from 14 BJD MLAs.
This year’s contest marked the first time in over two decades that the BJD and Congress aligned against the BJP in Odisha, prompting speculation about a potential long-term alliance. Naveen Patnaik, leader of the BJD, stated, “Time will tell” when asked about a potential tie-up.
Who is Sofia Firdous?
Born on August 23, 1991, Sofia Firdous is the first female Muslim MLA in Odisha. Her father, Mohammed Moquim, previously served as the MLA for the same constituency but was disqualified by the Odisha High Court due to legal cases.
Firdous completed her schooling at St Joseph’s Girls High School and Ravenshaw Junior College in Cuttack. She holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from KIIT, Bhubaneswar, and an Executive General Management Program from IIM Bangalore (2022).
Prior to entering politics, Firdous worked as a director at Metro Group, focusing on real estate and asset development. She is married to businessman Sheikh Merajul Haque.
In her political debut, she defeated BJP’s Purna Chandra Mahapatra by a margin of 8,001 votes and declared assets worth ₹5.24 crore in her election affidavit.
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