OPCC lifts suspension of another MLA before RS polls

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) revoked its suspension order on yet another MLA today ahead of the February 7 Rajya Sabha elections.
The revoking of the suspension of Lanjigarh MLA Sivaji Majhi came a day after the withdrawal of suspension of Chitrakonda MLA Mamata Madhi.
"The suspension order on Shivaji Majhi has been lifted," OPCC disciplinary committee chairman Harihar Karan said in a statement.
Lifting of the suspension order of Majhi was aimed to ensure victory of Congress candidate Ranjib Biswal in the Rajya Sabha elections next month, party insiders said.
Majhi was one of the two Congress MLAs who had abstained from voting during the last Rajya Sabha polls in 2010 flouting the party whip.

His absence had ensured the victory of the BJD's fourth candidate Baishnab Parida despite the fact that the ruling party did not have the numbers in the assembly to get him elected.
The party had taken disciplinary action against Majhi on June 14, 2011 within a week of the release of an audio tape which claimed that two ministers of the Naveen Patnaik ministry - Pushpendra Singhdeo and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak - had negotiated with Majhi to refrain from the voting.
Madhi on the other hand was suspended for being unable to attend the assembly when the Congress brought a no-trust motion against Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat in April 2013.