Bhubaneswar, March 16 Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday responded to his predecessor and BJD president Naveen Patnaik over the latter's remarks on cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, saying that his comments describing some MLAs as having a "criminal past" were an affront to democracy.
Patnaik had earlier alleged that 11 opposition MLAs who cross-voted in favour of BJP candidates had questionable backgrounds.
"I had spoken to many of you in the last few days about the BJP and their allies and the kind of horse-trading they may attempt. They have gathered a number of people who voted for them. Most of those who cross-voted have criminal pasts. You can check how many of their parents went to jail," Patnaik said.
Reacting sharply, Majhi said the remarks were "unfortunate" and undermined the dignity of elected representatives.
"The recent remarks made by Patnaik, in which he called the MLAs who voted on their conscience as having ‘criminal backgrounds’, are not only unfortunate but also an affront to the dignity of democracy," the chief minister said.
While describing Patnaik’s remarks as "immature and insulting", Majhi said, "Such words are never expected from a person who has served as a chief minister for a long time. To call MLAs who have proved their worth in their constituencies by prioritizing the interests of the people and the development of the state as criminals is an insult to the thousands of voters who elected them".
The chief minister noted that the elected representatives are not bound by any individual, they are only accountable to the Constitution and their own people.
"When there is a lack of internal democracy within the regional party (BJD) and the leadership is confined to a few specific groups, it is only natural for self-respecting representatives to speak up," Majhi said.
Intensifying his attack on the BJD president, Majhi further said, "Naveen Babu is probably forgetting that the people he is calling criminals today were his party's assets a few days ago, and he himself campaigned for them. Did their family background seem clean to him then?"
He said that it was unfortunate to make such comments in the context of Rajya Sabha poll defeat.
"Whoever does not remain on the path of development of Odisha, people have the power to change them. The BJP is working with determination to take forward the prosperity and development of Odisha as a people's government. Its reflection was seen today in the Rajya Sabha elections," the CM said.
"This landslide victory of the BJP and its supported Independent candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections is not just a party success, but it is a reflection of the strong leadership and visionary guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
Reacting to Majhi’s outburst, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty in a statement said, "Majhi criticised the Leader of Opposition because he was unable to understand what Patnaik told in his statement".
"It is indeed a historic day because horse-trading, as alleged by the Leader of Opposition, is true. Odisha is shamed because of horse trading today," he added.