In a swift and strategic move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday formally nominated Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election from Odisha.
The announcement comes just days after Samantaray dramatically resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and vacated his Rajya Sabha seat.
Samantaray, a three-time former MLA, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2024 on a BJD ticket with his term originally scheduled to end in April 2030. However, on May 25, 2026, he submitted his resignation from both the party and the Upper House. The very next day, he joined the BJP, setting the stage for his return to the same seat under a new banner.
The BJP’s Central Election Committee officially cleared his name, making him the frontrunner for the vacancy.
Speaking after the announcement, a visibly grateful Samantaray thanked Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal. “I still had four years left in my term. The party has shown faith in me and decided to send me back,” he said, adding that he is likely to file his nomination on Friday.
Samantaray boasts a long political career. He first entered the Odisha Assembly in 2000 from Tirtol on a BJD ticket, and later won from Barabati-Cuttack in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he faced defeat in the same constituency. His shift to the BJP marks a significant realignment in Odisha’s fluid political landscape following the 2024 assembly elections that brought the BJP to power in alliance with a smaller regional party.
By-Poll Schedule
The Election Commission has set a tight timeline for the by-poll:
- Last date for filing nominations: June 8
- Scrutiny of nominations: June 9
- Last date for withdrawal: June 11
- Polling (if required): June 18 (9 AM to 4 PM), with results expected the same evening.
Given the numbers in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, where the BJP-led alliance holds a comfortable majority, political observers believe Samantaray is likely to win unopposed if the Congress and BJD choose not to field candidates.
The development is being seen as a major morale booster for the BJP in Odisha and a strategic masterstroke to retain an experienced voice in the Rajya Sabha.
