The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing to nominate three candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha. A senior party leader disclosed after a meeting with MLAs that the BJP is set to contest three Rajya Sabha seats. The Central leadership of the party is expected to reveal the candidate names soon.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, among other senior party figures, were present at the meeting. The party instructed all MLAs to be present during the nomination filing by the candidates on March 5. Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Odisha also held a crucial meeting to strategize for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
The Congress meeting was attended by key figures including Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das and CLP leader Rama Chandra Kadam. Out of the 14 Congress MLAs in the State Assembly, 12 participated in the discussions. Dr. Datteswar Hota, a BJD-backed candidate for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, sought support from Congress legislators during the meeting.
Dr. Hota formally requested the Congress leadership for their backing, emphasizing democratic values and urging a thoughtful decision. The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president mentioned that the matter would be referred to the party’s central leadership for a final decision. The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha have been necessitated by the retirement of four current members, including representatives from BJD and BJP.
