Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Manmohan Samal, senior leader Sujit Kumar, and veteran politician Dilip Ray filed their nominations for the Odisha Rajya Sabha elections.
Manmohan Samal and Sujit Kumar submitted their papers as the official BJP candidates. Party leaders rallied behind them to secure two seats comfortably. Dilip Ray, a former Union minister, filed his nomination as an Independent candidate. The BJP extends full support to him for the crucial fourth seat.
The Odisha Assembly currently holds 147 members. The BJP commands 79 MLAs plus support from three Independents. This strength allows the party to push for three representatives in the Rajya Sabha. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) holds around 50 seats and aims for one seat. The Congress, with 14 MLAs, adds complexity to the arithmetic. Party strategists calculate votes carefully.
BJP leaders express confidence in their numbers. They aim to send Manmohan Samal, Sujit Kumar, and Dilip Ray to the Upper House. This move strengthens the saffron party’s presence in Parliament.
Manmohan Samal brings strong organisational experience to the fray. Sujit Kumar seeks re-election after switching to the BJP. Dilip Ray leverages his long political career and past Rajya Sabha stints.
Earlier, BJD candidate Santrupt Mishra and common candidate Dr Datteshwar Hota filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections.
