BJD suspends sitting MLA for 'thrashing' BJP leader

Bhubaneswar, Sep 8 The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Wednesday suspended its sitting MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev after a viral video showed the MLA thrashing a BJP leader at his Chilika constituency.

"Chilika MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev is hereby suspended from the Biju Janata Dal with immediate effect," BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in an order issued on Wednesday.

Though the party has not officially cited any particular reason for his suspension, a BJD insider said the MLA's rude public behaviour was the reason.

In August last year, a junior engineer had registered a complaint alleging misbehaviour by Jagadev over booking a guest house. Prior to that in 2016, he was under scanner for allegedly assaulting a lady tehsildar.

The Chief Minister has also removed Jagadev from the post of chairperson of the District Planning Committee, Khordha, with immediate effect.

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