Keonjhar’s Anandpur Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Abhimanyu Sethi on Friday said he was not aware of any “betrayal” by Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud, who was suspended from the party a day earlier.
Sethi said Mahakud regularly attended party meetings, missing only one or two on earlier occasions, and actively cooperated in party activities. He added that Mahakud had also praised the Chief Minister and even the BJP whenever he felt good work was being carried out, stating that appreciation should be given wherever it is due.
However, the Anandpur MLA reiterated that he was unaware of the exact reasons behind Mahakud’s suspension.
Mahakud was suspended from the BJD on Thursday over alleged anti-party activities, with the action taken by party supremo Naveen Patnaik.
Sethi’s remarks, coming from within the Keonjhar district, have once again brought the suspension under scrutiny and raised questions over the grounds on which it was imposed.
“Mahakud had missed one or two party meetings earlier, but he was present at the last MLA meeting. The party supremo may have assessed something from his activities, which I am not aware of. Mahakud regularly attends meetings and cooperates with us. I do not know on what grounds he was suspended. We have also praised the Chief Minister on developmental issues during various meetings. Mahakud may have been suspended on some other grounds,” Sethi said.
