Odisha: BJP expels 9 leaders for attack party vice president

By Our Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 14: Odisha state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday expelled nine party men in connection with the recent attack on party’s state vice-president Samir Mohanty during Zilla Parishad chairperson election in Sambalpur.

The BJP’s state unit president Basant Panda expelled state executive committee member Girish Patel and eight others from the party for six years.

This was informed by BJP state unit general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan to reporters today after a closed-door meeting at the party’s state headquarters here in which national general secretary Suresh Pujari was also present.

Others who were expelled from the party for six years are Sambalpur district unit vice president Samir Ranjan Babu, Yuva Morcha state executive committee member Aswini Majhi, Yuva Morcha district unit vice president Kanhuram Sharma and secretary Shiv Diwan, district executive committee members Prince Soni, Gopal Agarwal, Raja Barad and Mantu Agarwal.

Earlier on Sunday, the BJP had suspended senior leader Jayanarayan Mishra and 10 others for anti-party activities and in connection with the attack on party state unit vice-president Samir Mohanty.

The BJP has suspended newly elected Zilla Parishad members of Bargarh Sanjukta Majhi and Sarada Senapati of Rayagada and her husband Brundaban Senapati for six years for going against the party decision.