With the announcement of the schedule for the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha, the ruling BJP, along with the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, are actively working to finalize candidates for the four vacant seats. The BJP’s Odisha unit President, Manmohan Samal, stated that the party will soon strategize and announce its candidates in due course.
Addressing the speculations surrounding the fourth seat and the potential for an external candidate, Samal emphasized that the party will make a definitive decision after consultations with the central leadership. Meanwhile, the BJD’s Political Affairs Committee, led by Naveen Patnaik, is set to convene to deliberate on the candidate selection for the Rajya Sabha polls.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President, Bhakta Charan Das, revealed plans to visit New Delhi for discussions with the party’s high command regarding the selection of candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections. The Election Commission of India has issued the notification for the biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across ten states, including Odisha, where four seats will be vacant in April 2026.
The Election Commission has set the last date for filing nominations as March 5, 2026, with scrutiny scheduled for March 6. If necessary, polling will be held on March 16, followed by the counting of votes on the same day. The entire election process is expected to conclude by March 20.
