BHUBANESWAR: Problems seem to be far from over for the Congress even after shifting eight MLAs to Bengaluru to avoid possibilities of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections as the legislator from Mohana Dasarathi Gomango has gone incommunicado for the last 48 hours.
Leader of Congress legislature party (CLP) Ramachandra Kadam said Gomango is missing and not responding to phone calls since Thursday evening. Warning that strong disciplinary action will be taken against those who flout the party direction, Kadam said, he is expected to reach Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening. However, Kadam conceded he does not have any knowledge about the whereabouts of the Mohana MLA.
Gomango was among the nine MLAs, who were scheduled to take the flight to Bengaluru along with other legislators and state party president Bhakta Charan Das on Thursday evening. But he left for his constituency.
Kadam said the eight Congress MLAs who are in Bengaluru have sought appointment to meet party president Mallikarjun Kharge at New Delhi on Sunday. If Kharge is available, they will leave for New Delhi from Bengaluru on Sunday morning. The MLAs will return to Bhubaneswar the same evening and take part in the voting the next day, he said.
Meanwhile, party MLA, Cuttack-Barabati constituency Sofia Firdous has expressed strong resentment over the support extended by Congress to second BJD candidate Dr Datteswar Hota. Stating that she was not consulted before the party took such a decision, Sofia said it would have been better if the legislators had been taken into confidence on the matter. Stating that BJD has always worked with BJP to undermine the Congress in the state, she said extending support to a candidate announced by regional outfit will finish Congress in Odisha.
“It would have been respectable had BJD and Congress jointly announced an Independent candidate and worked for his victory. I will vote according to my personal choice. I have a right to do so,” Sofia said.