Naveen expels MLAs Soumya, Sudhansu from BJD

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal president, Naveen Patnaik, on Thursday expelled two MLAs, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, also an owner-editor of an Odiya daily, and Sudhansu Sekhar Parida, on charges of anti-party activities.

''Two MLAs have been expelled from the BJD. They are Sudhansu Sekhar Parida from Remuna and Soumya Ranjan Patnaik from Khandapada,'' Naveen told reporters here.

Soumya Ranjan was earlier removed from the party's vice-president post on September 12. As the editor of the Odia daily, he had written two signed editorials attacking his own party. The latest action against Soumya Ranjan comes after after Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police registered a case against him under different sections of the IPC including cheating and fraud.

Remuna MLA Sudhansu Sekhar Parida has been accused of misappropriating government subsidy worth Rs 3 crore meant for farmers.