Nine councillors of the Keonjhargarh Municipality who are likely to be disqualified from the BJD for not complying with the party whip under the new law, on Mondaysought intervention of the State Election Commission (SEC).
Sushree Sangita Nanda, Dilip Kumar Behera, Pravati Patnaik, Swarnalata Sahoo, Kuna Naik, Sabita Sethy, Kumuduni Naik, Satrughan Naik and Sunil Kumar Naik, who voted in favour of the no-confidence motion against Municipality Chairperson Mina Majhi ignoringg the party whip, met the State Election Commissioner here.
“We have resigned from the party much before the anti-defection Act came to force. We sent our resignation letters to the BJD president. Hence, the new law will not be applicable to us,” asserted one of the councillors.
The public representatives said the SEC gave them a patient hearing and assured them of action on their memorandum in accordance with law.
Meanwhile, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said the councillors who had defied the party whip would certainly face the music.