Bhubaneswar, Feb 13: Biju Janata Dal (BJD)'s two Rajya Sabha candidates, former MLA Debasish Samantray and party leader Subhasish Khuntia filed their nomination papers today in the presence of the party's president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other party members.
According to the information, the seats of three Rajya Sabha members will fall vacant in April when the terms of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and BJD leaders Prasant Nanda and Amar Patnaik will come to an end.
While candidates for the two Rajya Sabha seats have been named by the BJD and are very likely to emerge victorious, it has been a matter of discussion in the State's political circle who would get the third seat, which will be vacated by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
According to a notification, the election to the three Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha will be held on February 27 between 9 AM and 4 PM on the state assembly premises and the counting of votes will take place at 5 PM. The last date for filing of nominations is February 15.