Bhubaneswar: A BJP legislator on Friday attempted suicide by consuming sanitizer in the Odisha Assembly over paddy procurement issues in the state.

Subash Chandra Panigrahi, an MLA from the Deogarh constituency, tried to consume sanitizer as a mark of protest when Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Rajendra Pratap Swain was replying to the House on the paddy procurement issues.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha and other legislators managed to prevent Panigrahi from consuming sanitizer and recovered the toxic material from him.

“I tried to consume sanitizer as the state government left me with no option. Even though the farmers’ issue was raised in the House time and again, the state government did not pay heed to the plight of the farmers,” Panigrahi told media persons.

Panigrahi alleged the government has failed to resolve farmers’ issues like mismanagement at mandis and token system.

Earlier in the morning, the BJP MLA had threatened to commit suicide to mount pressure on the state government.

During the first phase of the budget session, he had staged a protest in the House and also threatened to self-immolate if all paddy is not procured from the farmers at the earliest.