Bhubaneswar: A day after his suspension from the Congress party, Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Chandra Jena on Wednesday hit out at Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das by accusing the latter of taking unilateral decisions on matters concerning the party.  

Jena along with two other Congress MLAs—Sofia Firdous and Dasarathi Gomango—was suspended from the party on Tuesday after they allegedly cross-voted in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha by defying party whip.

The Sanakhemundi legislator also made it clear that he resorted to cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls to avenge the injustice meted out to him during the successive Biju Janata Dal (BJD) governments in Odisha.

Bhakta Das behaving like a dictator: Jena

“OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das has links with some companies. He used to take unilateral decisions on matters related to the Congress party without consulting other leaders. He is behaving like a dictator and run the party as per his own will,” alleged Jena at a press conference in the capital city here.

The three-time legislator also alleged that the OPCC president did not allow several senior Congress leaders from the coastal areas to campaign for the party candidate in the Nuapada Assembly by-election last year. Jena even claimed that there was a conspiracy to defeat then OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak from Nuapada Assembly segment in 2024 polls.

Alleged conspiracy behind Sarat Pattanayak’s defeat

“Who had encouraged tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi to fight the Assembly polls from Nuapada as an independent nominee in 2024? Majhi’s candidature played a crucial role in the defeat of then OPCC chief and Congress candidate Sarat Pattanayak. Bhakta Das influenced the Congress high command to ensure a ticket for Majhi in the Nuapada bypoll in 2025. He managed the election campaign whimsically and did not allow any senior Congress leader from the coastal belt to campaign for the party,” said the Sanakhemundi legislator.

The OPCC president, without holding any consultation with other leaders of the party, entered into an understanding with BJD for fielding eminent doctor Datteswar Hota as a common candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls, alleged Jena.

Suffered a lot during BJD rule, says Jena

“The BJD government had framed me in false cases. I had suffered a lot during the BJD rule in the state. I voted in favour of BJP-backed independent candidate Dilip Ray to avenge the injustice meted out towards me,” he stated.

Jena also alleged that the OPCC chief has been in touch with Ray, a former Union Minister and hotelier, for last many days. “The wedding ceremony of Bhakta’s Das’ son was held in a hotel owned by Ray in Raipur. There should be clarity regarding who had funded the bills,” he said.

However, the Sanakhemundi MLA did not reveal much about his future political move. “I will continue to work for the people of my constituency in future,” he added.