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Journalism of Courage
BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 16: Biju Janata Dal expelled 19 more rebel party leaders on Tuesday for contesting against official nominees of either BJD or its poll partner BJP in the assembly elections in Orissa.
With this, the total number of rebel candidates expelled from BJD had gone up to 37, party sources said.
BJP also expelled 15 rebel partymen contesting the elections against the party’s decision, taking their total to 27.
Former MLA Manas Ranjan Mallick, who is contesting as an independent from Dhamnagar is one of those expelled on Tuesday. Now state BJP president, Manmohan Samal is contesting from there.
Other prominent BJD rebels included Rudra Madhab Roy (Daspalla), Kiran Chandra Singhdeo (Kesinga), Saharai Oram (Champua-ST), Badrinarayan Patra (Ramachandrapur), Utkal Keshari Parida (Kendrapara) and Benudhar Sethi (Nimapara).
The prominent BJP rebels included Bidhubhusan Praharaj (Choudwar), Jyotish Chandra Das (Balikuda), Susant Chand (Bhograi), Ramaranjan Baliarsingh (Satyabadi) and Anchal Das (Binjharpur-SC).
Both the parties also clarified that four other identified rebels – two from each party – were not members of their respective parties.
