Cuttack (Odisha) [India], March 15 : ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, Congress MLA Sofia Firdous accused the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of being the 'B-team' of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to ANI, she said that Congress extended its support to BJD Rajya Sabha candidate Datteswar Hota only after the endorsement of former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Noting the BJD's support for the Waqf Bill, Firdous criticised the party for its pro-BJP working ideals. She, however, added that Congress does not aim to include everyone in the way forward to elections.
"The Congress party extended its support to the candidate only after former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced his support. How can this be a common candidate? He is a BJD candidate. If the Congress party is in this condition in Odisha today, the reason for that is the BJD itself. BJD has always supported the BJP. It has been the BJP's 'B-team'. They should stop their fake claims that they are secular. BJD supported the BJP on the Waqf Bill," Firdous said.
"I was not invited even during the elections. People from my very own constituency were joining the party, yet I remained completely unaware of it. The party is not moving in the direction of taking everyone along as it moves forward, and this has left everyone feeling disappointed," she added.
She further flagged concerns regarding the party's internal communication, stating that she was not notified regarding Congress' decision to move eight of its Odisha MLAs to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.
"I don't know about it because nobody contacted me regarding going to Bengaluru or anything related to that. We were not even consulted or asked for consent when it was decided which candidate to support," Firdous said.
Earlier, the Congress MLA emphasised that her primary focus remains on her constituency and its development.
"My focus is on my constituency. The people who voted for my father earlier and now have voted for me expect development work. I am committed to working for them," she said.
This comes after BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday held a meeting with party leaders in Bhubaneswar and raised concerns about alleged horse-trading attempts by the BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
Speaking to the media, Patnaik said, "Our party MLAs and all of us have just had a meeting with the concerned officers about the process of the elections for the upcoming Rajya Sabha. The BJP and their three Rajya Sabha candidates are all trying their best to engage in horse trading, which is an offence to win this democratic election."
On Thursday, Patnaik issued a three-line whip to all party MLAs, directing them to remain in attendance in party meetings in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
The polling for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.
The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.
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