BHUBANESWAR: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is highly likely to nominate Debashish Samantaray for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election from the state, scheduled for June 18, following his dramatic exit from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and subsequent induction into the saffron party.
Samantaray, who resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the BJD on Tuesday, joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of senior party leaders, triggering intense political speculation over his immediate return to the Upper House with BJP backing.
Upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, Samantaray struck an aggressive political tone against his former party. “I will not boast in front of the media. After I have joined the BJP, you will see what condition BJD will be in Odisha going forward,” he told mediapersons at the airport.
Asked whether he was set to return to the Rajya Sabha, Samantaray replied cautiously, saying, “It all depends on Prabhu Jagannath. If He wishes, I may go there.”
The Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha fell vacant after Samantaray’s resignation. The Election Commission on the day announced a by-election on June 18 to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term ending April 3, 2030.
Political observers view Samantaray’s move as part of a broader BJP strategy to expand its footprint in the state and incrementally strengthen its numbers in the Rajya Sabha. Senior BJP leaders in the state have privately indicated that the former BJD leader is likely to receive the party nomination, following a pattern seen in earlier defections from the regional party.
Former BJD leaders Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar had also resigned from the BJD and the Rajya Sabha before Kumar was re-elected. Samantaray’s case is widely being viewed through the same political lens.
Sources within the BJP said the resignation was part of a calibrated political exercise aimed at ensuring Samantaray’s re-election under the BJP banner while simultaneously boosting the party’s strength in the Upper House. Samantaray had begun his Rajya Sabha tenure on April 4, 2024.
As of May 2026, the BJP has four Rajya Sabha members representing Odisha, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar and Dilip Ray. If Samantaray is elected, the BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha will rise from 113 to 114.
Although the BJP remains short of the absolute majority mark of 123 in the 245-member House, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) currently commands around 144 members, giving the ruling coalition a comfortable edge in Rajya Sabha.
Samantaray’s likely re-nomination is also expected to deepen the political challenge for the BJD in the state.