Rebel BJD MP expelled from party in Odisha

The decision to expel Mohapatra, who had floated the Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM) within the BJD, and his close aide Jagneswar Babu was announced by BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after a meeting of the party state executive committee.

"A decision was taken at the executive committee meeting that Sri Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and Jagneswar Babu are expelled and removed from the party," Patnaik told reporters.

It was also decided that the decision on expulsion would be communicated to the Rajya Sabha and Mohapatra would be asked to resign as he was elected to the upper house of Parliament as a BJD nominee.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das and Revenue Minister S N Patro said before expelling Mohapatra for directly or indirectly causing damage to the party, the executive committee ratified his suspension from the BJD.

Mohapatra was expelled as he was continuing anti-party activities, indiscipline and collecting funds and enrolling members for the OJM floated by him even after his suspension, Das and Patro said.

Reacting to his expulsion, Mohapatra said, "I was expecting it. Now I will approach the 27 lakh party workers and people of Odisha."

Accusing the chief minister of making BJD and the party constitution defunct, Mohapatra said his battle would continue.

His expulsion came nearly six months after he was suspended from BJD for attempting a coup against the Naveen Patnaik government on May 29 when the chief minister was away in the UK.