BJP Fields Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar For RS; Backs Dilip Ray For Fourth Seat
Congress backs Hota as Odisha Rajya Sabha contest turns four-cornered: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar as its official candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Odisha, with the party’s central leadership formally clearing their names and signalling the start of an intense political contest.
In a parallel development, former Union minister Dilip Ray declared he would contest as an Independent for the fourth vacant seat. The BJP, which has 22 surplus first-preference votes after fielding two official nominees, has extended support to Ray, adding a new dimension to the electoral arithmetic.
The contest has intensified after the Congress extended support to common candidate Dr. Datteshwar Hota for the fourth seat. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) clarified that Hota is a joint candidate backed by both the BJD and the Congress, and not exclusively its nominee.
According to current Odisha Assembly calculations, each candidate requires at least 30 first-preference votes to secure victory, making cross-voting and strategic alignment crucial in the days ahead.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi congratulated Manmohan Samal following the announcement. At a strategy meeting convened by the Chief Minister, BJP leaders discussed their electoral roadmap and directed party MLAs to remain present during nomination filing on March 5. Legislators have already signed the nomination papers to avoid last-minute contingencies.
The BJP described its choice of candidates as a strategic move ahead of a crucial contest, expressing confidence in their organisational strength and long-standing political experience. It also criticised the BJD and Congress for what it termed a lack of broader political consultation before finalising their joint nominee.
Responding to the charge, the BJD said the opposition’s backing of Hota reflects a democratic consensus and questioned the BJP’s remarks, urging it to support the medical professional if it genuinely respects the medical fraternity.
Interestingly, Ray had won as an Independent in a similar contest in 2002 after securing cross-party support — a precedent that adds further intrigue and unpredictability to the high-stakes battle for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha.
