By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who always loves to bring surprise to political opponents as well as experts, was on Saturday once again continued his surprising move while picking up 4 candidates for Rajya Sabha polls slated for March 26.
The candidates whose names were announced by Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik are Subash Singh, Munna Khan, Mamata Mahanta, and Sujeet Kumar. Singh is a trade union leader while Khan is from minority community while Mahanta is from tribal women community and Kumar is a well professional. With Khan’s entry into Rajya Sabha, BJD has two MPs from minority community in Upper House including Dr Sasmit Patra from Christian Community.
Going by its membership strength in the State Assembly, the BJD is set to win in all the four seats. The fourth seat will be crucial as both the BJD and the BJP will require the support of six more MLAs.
The four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha will fall vacant after the tenure of Ranjib Biswal (Congress), Anubhav Mohanty, Narendra Swain and Sarojini Hembram (all BJD) comes to an end on April 2. However, Anubhav Mohanty has been elected to Lok Sabha from Kendrapara in the 2019 General Elections.
As per the notification, the nomination papers may be delivered by a candidate or by any of his/her proposers to Odisha Assembly Secretary Dasharathi Satapathy or to Odisha Assembly Deputy Secretary Shishir Kanta Swain, the Assistant Returning Officer, at the Conference Hall of Assembly between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm on any day by March 13, 2020.
