BJD leaders demand action against MP Sasmit Patra for creating confusion over Waqf Bill voting

The recent developments indicate that Patnaik has lost control over his party MPs, says BJP' Anil Biswal

- PBD BUREAU/PTI

A section of senior BJD leaders on Saturday demanded strong action against Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra for creating confusion among lawmakers ahead of voting on Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the upper house of Parliament.

Patra, also the leader of the BJD in Rajya Sabha, is in the eye of the storm after revealing that he had voted in favour of the contentious Bill.

After the BJD announced it would oppose the Bill, and even party MP Muzibulla Khan spoke against it in Rajya Sabha on April 3, Patra put a post on X before voting, stating that party MPs could vote 'as per their conscience' and that there was no whip issued to them.

This led to confusion among the lawmakers, and senior party leaders have raised questions about whether Patra could change the decision of Naveen Patnaik, who apart from being the BJD president, was also chairman of the parliamentary party.

“I abstained from voting due to confusion,” the party had ear-lier decided to oppose the Bill and at the last moment, we were asked to vote as per our conscience,” senior Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantray, said.

He, however, chose not to blame Patra.