India, Dec. 19 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lawmakers on Friday asked chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi to reconsider the controversial 211% hike in MLAs' salaries and allowances cleared by the assembly earlier this month.

"Keeping in view the popular sentiments over the proposed hike in the salaries and allowances of MLAs, the BJD requests the chief minister to reconsider it," Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik told reporters on Friday, acknowledging that the party previously supported the four bills but had deferred to popular sentiment.

Last week, the assembly passed four separate bills that increased the monthly emoluments of MLAs from Rs.1.11 lakh to Rs.3.45 lakh, those of CMs from Rs.98,000 to Rs.3.74 lakh, of ministers from Rs.97,0...