Bhubaneswar:
Angry Congress MLAs climbed on to the Orissa Speaker's podium today protesting against what they called a "hijack" by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of "all the three Rajya Sabha seats by horse-trading and irregular methods."
The House met for the first day of the Monsoon session on Tuesday, but had to be adjourned twice. The Opposition is questioning the mysterious disappearance of three MLAs on the day of the Rajya Sabha polls last week.
The BJD had won all three Rajya Sabha seats in the June 17 election. It was slated to win two, given the numbers, but the unavailability of two Congress and one BJP MLA during voting helped the party grab the third too. All the missing MLAs defied party whips.
In the Assembly, the Opposition MLAs demanded to know why the Speaker had not acted on an adjournment motion moved by them on the alleged horse-trading.
When the Speaker said he was considering the matter, angry Congress MLAs trooped to the Well and shouted slogans. And then, as the Speaker allowed the House to continue, two Congress MLAs climbed on to the Speaker's podium forcing an adjournment.
(With PTI inputs)