Bhubaneswar: Dhenkanal Municipality chairman Indramani Behera on Monday lost a no-confidence vote brought against him for his alleged involvement in several corruption charges.
Sources said Behera lost the motion, which was backed by 17 councillors in the 23-member municipal council. Despite a whip, four BJD councillors cast their votes on the motion, the sources added.
Behera had invited the wrath of the councillors after his named cropped up in several corruption cases, leading to a no-confidence motion against him.
In 2013, Behera was elected as Chairman of Dhenkanal Municipality through lottery, which was necessitated after Congress’ number of councillors (11) equalled the alliance tally of BJP (5) & BJD (6). This was the first time the saffron party and the ruling party had joined hands after the alliance broke in the State in 2009.
Congress had fielded councillor Rudranta Dalei while BJD councillor Indramani Behera had filed the nomination as the BJD-BJP alliance candidate for the chairman's post. The latter had won in the lottery.