The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday officially nominated Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll in Odisha. This bypoll was necessitated after Samantaray resigned from the Upper House as a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and subsequently switched allegiance to the saffron party on May 25.
Expected Nomination
Samantaray's renomination came as no surprise, as the BJP had earlier adopted a similar approach for former BJD MPs Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta after they quit the regional party and joined the saffron camp. The party's strategy of welcoming defectors and fielding them for Rajya Sabha seats appears consistent.
Electoral Comfort
With 79 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, the BJP is comfortably positioned to ensure Samantaray's victory. Neither the BJD nor the Congress is likely to field a candidate for the bypoll scheduled on June 18. This unopposed election will increase the BJP's Rajya Sabha strength from Odisha to four, strengthening its presence in the upper house.
Samantaray's Gratitude
Expressing his gratitude to the party leadership, Samantaray said, "I thank Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal. Since my earlier six-year tenure still had four years left, the decision to send me back to the Rajya Sabha was taken." He added that he will file his nomination papers on Friday. Samantaray was originally elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2024 as a BJD candidate before his recent switch.
Background
Samantaray's move to the BJP is part of a larger trend of BJD legislators and MPs joining the ruling party at the centre. The bypoll results will not only fill the vacant seat but also reflect the shifting political dynamics in Odisha, where the BJP has been making significant inroads.
About the Author: Ashok Pradhan is currently the chief of bureau of The Times of India in Bhubaneswar. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal (1999-2000).
