India, Jan. 15 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik on Thursday suspended two legislators, Sanatan Mahakud and Arabinda Mohapatra, for anti-party activities.

The announcement was made in a one-line statement issued by the former chief minister. "Shri Arvind Mohapatra, MLA and Shri Sanatan Mahakud, MLA, are hereby suspended from Biju Janata Dal with immediate effect for their involvement in anti-party activities," the BJD statement issued by Patnaik said.

Mahakud, a two-time MLA and the state's richest legislator, had recently courted controversy when he criticised the previous Patnaik-led government at a public meeting in Keonjhar district in the presence of chief minister Mohan Majhi.

BJD leaders were not clear what could hav...