Bhubaneswar: Denied party tickets by their parties, two sitting MLAs, one from the ruling BJD and another from opposition Congress, on Friday filed nominations as independents to contest the ensuing Assembly elections in Odisha.
While BJD's sitting MLA from Phulbani Debendra Kanhar filed his papers for the Phulabani seat as an independent candidate, Congress sitting MLA Chakradhar Paik did so from the Mohana seat.
Kanhar was replaced by Duguni Kanhar by BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik.
"It is severe injustice toward me and my supporters. There is no basis why I have been denied a ticket by the party. I filed the papers as an independent candidate as per the advice of my supporters," Kanhar told reporters.
Paik, a tribal leader from Gajapati district also announced his decision to go against the party. The Congress has named Dasarathi Gamang as its candidate for Mohana.
"I have the right to file nomination. The love and affection of my people forced me to file nomination as an independent candidate," Paik said, adding that he was not worried about the consequences.