Argus News - Breaking News: Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal, MP Sujit Kumar and Dilip Ray File Rajya Sabha Nominations

Bhubaneswar, Mar 5: Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal, sitting MP Sujit Kumar, and former Union Minister Dilip Ray on Thursday filed their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections, officials said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, BJP’s State In-Charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, several Ministers, MLAs, and senior party leaders were present on the occasion.

The nominations were filed at the Assembly Secretariat as four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha are set to fall vacant on April 2. The outgoing members include Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan of the BJD, along with Sujit Kumar and Mamata Mohanta of the BJP. With both parties determined to secure maximum representation, the elections scheduled for March 16 are expected to be closely fought.

Samal and Kumar are the official BJP candidates, while Ray is contesting as an Independent with the saffron party’s backing. His candidacy adds weight to the contest for the crucial fourth seat, which has emerged as the focal point of Odisha’s political battle.

Ray, a prominent hotelier and seasoned politician, holds the distinction of being the only parliamentarian from Odisha to have served as a Union Minister under three Prime Ministers — Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H.D. Deve Gowda, and I.K. Gujral. His entry brings both political experience and intrigue to the contest.

Also Read: Dharmendra Pradhan Congratulates BJP’s Rajya Sabha Candidates From Odisha

According to Assembly numbers, the BJP, with 79 MLAs and support from three Independents, is assured of two seats but falls short of the majority needed to secure a third. The BJD, with 48 MLAs, is certain of one seat and is banking on opposition unity to secure another. The Congress, with 14 MLAs, and CPI(M), with one, have extended support to BJD-backed common candidate Dr. Datteswar Hota.

With Dilip Ray’s independent candidacy backed by the BJP, the saffron party is signaling a tactical move to strengthen its chances in the high-stakes contest. Strategy, numbers, and unity will ultimately decide Odisha’s Rajya Sabha representation.