BHUBANESWAR: Former MP and Editor of an Odia daily Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, founder of KIIT and KISS Achyuta Samanta and BJD spokesperson Prashanta Nanda were announced as Biju Janata Dal’s candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on March 23 by party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. The announcement of candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls brought to an end all speculations in this regard as the race for a berth in the Upper House had intensified. Soumya, who was president of Ama Odisha Party (AOP), and Samanta had joined the BJD only hours ago at Naveen Nivas.
The terms of A V Swami, A U Singhdeo and Dilip Tirkey end on April 3 in the Upper House giving rise to three vacancies. Speculations were rife about Soumya joining the BJD ever since he met the Chief Minister at New Delhi. Welcoming Soumya and Samanta to the BJD, the Chief Minister said both of them will be assets for the party.
“Soumya will be a tremendous asset for the BJD,” Naveen said. Soumya said he has not set any terms and conditions before joining the BJD and added that he will continue his fight and raise several issues, including the farmers’ plight, chit fund scam and others in the larger interest of the people of Odisha. Samanta said he joined the BJD because of the social development works and the good governance of Naveen Patnaik.
“I was with people and busy doing social work and will continue to work for the development of the State,” he said. Stating that he will rake up Mahanadi, Polavaram, Central negligence towards Odisha and other issues related to State’s interest, Prashanta Nanda thanked the party supremo for nominating him as BJD candidate for the Upper House.