The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) refuted the contention of its four former MlAs that they quit the NCP and joined the BJD because they were asked to do so by the party workers in their constituencies on Monday.
"Our workers and supporters are still with us. They feel they have been betrayed by the MlAs. What the MlAs are saying for excuse is totally false," said NCP State secretary Bikram Swain.
After winning on the NCP ticket and party symbol and with party money, the switchover of the MlAs Amar Prasad Satpathy of the Badachana constituency, Prashant Nanda of Begunia, Ramachandra Hansda of Saraskana and Navin Nanda of Dhenkanal to the BJD is nothing but rank betrayal, he said.
Swain also condemned the State Government's and the Assembly Speaker's stand on the issue. "We do not know why the Speaker is so eager to consume time in finalising the NCP's case challenging these MlAs' merger with the BJD. He is only spending public money in the High Court and Supreme Court just to bide time.
The High Court and the apex court have already rejected the Speaker's petitions, why is he delaying to give his ruling now," he demanded to know.