Former Odisha minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik suspended from BJD for anti-party activities

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 12 (ANI): Former Odisha Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik was suspended from the Biju Janata Dal with immediate effect on Friday for his involvement in anti-party activities.
"Prafulla Kimar Mallik, Ex MLA Kamakhyanagar, District Dhenkanal, is hereby suspended from Biju Janata Dal for his involvement in anti-party activities with immediate effect," an order issued by the party read.
The suspension comes amid discontent from certain members, as two party leaders, N Bhaskar Rao and Lal Bihari Himirika, resigned from the party a few days ago.
Following the resignations, Mallik, who has been a four-time legislator, had also said he would leave the party.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and Congress leader Srikant Kumar Jena hit out at the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over its decision to abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential election, accusing the Naveen Patnaik-led regional party of working in "tandem with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)".
Jena argued that the BJD helped NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan in securing victory for the post of Vice President by not participating in the voting process.
The remarks come as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) abstained from voting in the Vice Presidential election, while Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) decided not to participate. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had announced that it will "boycott" the poll, given that people in Punjab are "upset and angry" over no help from the Centre and the state government.
National Democratic Alliance-backed CP Radhakrishnan was elected as the 15th Vice President of India on Tuesday. (ANI)