Bhubaneswar: The Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday announced name of its candidates for the election and by-poll to Rajya Sabha (RS) scheduled for June 10 and 13, respectively.
BJD General Secretary (Organisation) Pranab Prakash Das in a statement said BJD President Naveen Patnaik has nominated party spokesperson Sulata Deo, General Secretary (Media Affairs) Manas Mangaraj, present RS member Sasmit Patra and Tribal Leader Niranjan Bishi for the RS polls. Mr.Bishi joined BJD few days ago.
Though the names of former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi, Bagchi couple and many more were doing the rounds, the BJD Supremo has finalized these names considering the efforts made by the above leaders for the party.
While Ms.Deo and Mr.Mangaraj were looking after Media affairs very welly, Dr.Patra has been considered as he is very loyal to party and his performance in the Upper House is praised by one and all Including the chair.
Mr.Bishi was selected as a tribal face, party sources said. Three seats are having fill term while another seat is having four years term.
The party has not clarified who will be nominated for the seats.
The poll for full term seats will be held on June 10 as the tenure of three Rajya Sabha members from Odisha – N Bhaskar Rao, Prasanna Acharya and Sasmit Patra will end on July 1.
The by poll for another seat will be held as Subash Singh had resigned from the seat in April after he elected as Cuttack Mayor.
The BJD is set to win all the four RS seats with a strength of 113 in an Assembly of 147.
The BJP and Congress with 22 and 9 seats in the Assembly do not have the numbers to win a seat.