The Odisha Rajya Sabha elections held on March 16, 2026, resulted in a major victory for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its supported candidates, securing three out of four seats amid allegations of cross-voting and horse-trading.
BJP state president Manmohan Samal, sitting MP Sujit Kumar, and BJP-backed Independent Dilip Ray were elected, while BJD’s Santrupt Misra secured the remaining seat. The outcome reflected cross-voting by several opposition MLAs (including from BJD and Congress), enabling the BJP’s sweep on three seats.
In a strongly worded statement following the results, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi hailed the victory as a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and a step toward a “developed Odisha” and “Viksit Bharat.” He congratulated the newly elected members—Manmohan Samal, Sujit Kumar, and Dilip Ray—for committing to safeguard Odisha’s interests in the Rajya Sabha and advance the Modi government’s vision.
Majhi sharply criticised former Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik (now Leader of Opposition) for labelling cross-voting MLAs as having “criminal backgrounds” and implying their “fathers were in jail.” Majhi called Patnaik’s remarks immature, unfortunate, and an attack on democracy, arguing that they insulted not only the MLAs but also the thousands of voters who elected them. He emphasised that elected representatives are accountable to the Constitution and their constituents, not any individual leader, and pointed to internal issues within the BJD—such as a lack of internal democracy—as the reason for such defections.
Majhi further noted the irony in Patnaik’s criticism, recalling that the same MLAs were once assets to the BJD, promoted by Patnaik himself when they were in his party. He described the post-defeat comments as regrettable and indicative of frustration, asserting that the people’s support for the BJP government would drive Odisha’s prosperity forward.
In response, BJD spokesperson Dr. Lenin Mohanty defended Patnaik, stating that Majhi had misunderstood or failed to grasp Patnaik’s point. Mohanty reiterated allegations of horse-trading, claiming it had shamed Odisha and that the events confirmed the truth of Patnaik’s earlier accusations.
The exchange underscores the deepening political rift in Odisha following the BJP’s rise to power in the state.
