BHUBANESWAR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued notification for by-election to three vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha triggering speculation over candidates of the ruling BJD.
Sources in the ruling party said Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik will announce the names of the candidates in next couple of days.
ALSO READ: Rajya Sabha race hots up in Odisha's BJD
While the names of former Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha member Prasanna Patsani and former Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik are doing the rounds as they had been assured berths in the Upper House by the Chief Minister after they were denied tickets in the recently concluded elections, there are other contenders for BJD tickets.
Prominent among those are former Principal AG Amar Patnaik who is now a spokesperson of the BJD, former ministers Maheswar Mohanty and Sanjay Dasburma who were defeated in the Assembly elections and party spokesperson Sasmit Patra.
There are also many other contenders including former MP Rabindra Jena, former minister Pushpendra Singhdeo and former Rajya Sabha member AU Singhdeo. Both the sons of Singhdeo, Kalikesh and Arka Keshari lost the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections this time.
The three BJD candidates are likely to be elected unopposed as the BJP and Congress do not have adequate numbers in the Assembly.
While the BJD has 112 members, BJP and Congress have won 23 and 9 seats respectively.
According to the notification, the last date for filing nomination is June 25. If necessary, the by-polls will be held on July 5.
The seats had fallen vacant following the resignation of BJD Rajya Sabha members Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, Achyutananda Samant and Pratap Keshari Deb.
However, the ECI has not announced by-poll for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by BJD’s Anubhav Mohanty who was elected from Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency as less than one year of his tenure is left.
Talking to the media in Bhubaneswar, Returning Officer Bishnu Prasad Mishra said the nomination papers for three RS seats will be filed at Room No-14 in the State Assembly at 11.30 am.