Bhubaneshwar, March 17 -- Odisha Congress have suspended three MLAs, Sofia Firdous, Ramesh Jena and Dasarathi Gomango, for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress has 14 MLAs in the assembly and had extended support to BJD candidate Datteswar Hota for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, but cross-voting from BJD and Congress MLAs saw BJP-backed independent candidate Dilip Ray clinch the seat from the opposition's hands.

The cross-voting from BJD and Congress in favour of Ray left the opposition only with one candidate's victory in the Rajya Sabha polls, while the BJP secured two comfortable seats and one going to an independent candidate.

Chairman of the Media of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, Arabinda Das, said that t...