BJD Hints at Backing Oppn Bloc as Voter ID Controversy Heats Up

On Tuesday, seven Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha gave notices under Rule 267 to suspend the day's business to take up a discussion on the controversy surrounding the allegations of duplicate EPIC numbers.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: The surprising move, given the BJD's earlier stand of not trooping into the Well of the House or taking a contentious stance, was seen as an effort to remove any ambiguity about the party's affiliation with the Opposition bloc.

Shortly after the Chair turned down the notices, all seven MPs, led by floor leader Sasmit Patra, walked out in protest. "All seven MPs gave notices to discuss the issue of EPIC numbers, and a delegation also met the election commission seeking independent process audit of entire election process," Patra said.