BJP’s Mamata Mohanta Elected Unopposed To Rajya Sabha From Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Aug 27: Mamata Mohanta of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed from Odisha on Tuesday

Mohanta received the letter in this regard from the election officer at the State Assembly this afternoon.

BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan, who had filed nomination as an Independent candidate, withdrew it on the last day today, paving the way for the party's official candidate Mamata Mohanta's smooth election to the Upper House of Parliament.

Opposition parties BJD and Congress hadn't fielded any candidate for the by-poll.

Mohanta, a leader of the Kudumi community from Mayurbhanj district, had quit the BJD and resigned as its Rajya Sabha MP in July, forcing the by-poll. She switched over to the BJP, which nominated her as its candidate.

There are 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha. Currently, BJD holds eight Rajya Sabha members while the BJP has one from the State. One seat got vacant after Mohanta's resignation from the Upper House.