Voice vote sees Naveen Patnaik win confidence motion in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Mar 11 (ANI): The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal Government on Wednesday won the trust vote through a voice-vote in the State Assembly here.

The Opposition, however, alleged that the Speaker of the Assembly had behaved unfairly during the motion by not allowing members to speak.

A special one-day session of the State Assembly was summoned on Wednesday, where Patnaik required at least 74 votes to prove his majority in the 147-member House.

The BJP had earlier insisted that its members would vote against the Government.

Three BJP MLAs, however, defied their party whip and decided to vote for the Patnaik Government.

The trust vote arose after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew its support to Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJP).

The BJP-BJD alliance in Orissa split over differences in seat-sharing on March 7.

Barring the Congress, smaller parties and some independents immediately came to the rescue of Patnaik. (ANI)