Suspended party legislator Prakash Ram after his alleged cross voting done during the March 23 Rajya Sabha election has come up with a spirited response. In one page letter addressed to JVM supremo Babulal Marandi the MLA has cited his association with the party even in troubled times to prove his innocence.
The letter, accessed exclusively by The Pioneer even before it was dispatched to the party boss, reiterates that Prakash Ram indeed on the voting day cast his vote to the joint Opposition candidate Dheeraj Sahu.
“The letter issued to me on March 23 says that I had not voted in the favour of the UPA candidate and my conduct was against the party’s discipline. All the allegations are against the truth. I am the MLA of the party who has always stood with organisation in its interest with full force… My confidence in you (Babulal Marandi) even when six MLAs won on party ticket migrated does not endorse the allegations leveled,” wrote Ram in the letter bearing April 6 as date.
“I had shown my vote to the observer that saved my vote from getting rejected. If my absence from few party programmes due to my personal engagements come into the ambit of indiscipline and the effort infused to advance the party for five years is ignored then it is unfortunate to me,” he says.
Notably, JVM polling agent Bandhu Tirkey had alleged in writing that it was the MLA who had cross voted in the favour of the BJP’s Pradeep Sonthalia following that the party had issued him a show cause to be responded in 15 days.
The response is expected to deliver the party level on Saturday following that any line of action is expected from the JVM.