PTI

Bhubaneshwar, Mar 11: Amidst uproarious scenes, Orissa Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday won the vote of confidence in the state assembly by voice vote as Opposition staged a walk-out terming the exercise as "murder of democracy".

Strongly protesting the passage of the trust motion moved by the Chief Minister by voice vote "all of a sudden", members of Congress and BJP walked out of the house demanding division of votes on the crucial trial of strength.

The trust motion, moved in a special assembly session four days after BJP withdrew support to Naveen government following the collapse of BJD-BJP alliance over seat sharing in coming Lok Sabha polls, was passed in barely two hours of the proceedings.

Moving the motion, Patnaik said he enjoyed the support of more than 74 legislators in the 147-member assembly and was facing the floor test as directed by Governor M C Bhandare.

Terming the passage of the motion as "murder of democracy", Leader of BJP legislator party Biswabhushan Harichandan said his party wanted a division of votes but the whole exercise was handled in a hurried manner.

Congress deputy leader Narasingha Mishra said his party leaders, who were keen on division, would meet the Governor with their grievances.

Refuting the opposition charges, the Chief Minister told reporters after adjournment of the House that when he moved the motion of confidence, the opposition took exception to the exercise saying it violated the model code of conduct since the state is in an election mode.

"When the motion was put to vote, none had asked for division. Therefore, the motion was passed by a voice vote," Patnaik said.

Expressing similar views, BJD's Chief Whip Bikram Arukh said, opposition parties never sought division as they were busy countering the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister.

He claimed that BJD government would have sailed through comfortably even in the event of a division as it had the support of at least 81 MLAs.