A total of five candidates—two from the BJP, two from the BJD, and one BJP-backed Independent—filed their nomination papers for Odisha’s four Rajya Sabha seats on Thursday.
The development has set the stage for potential cross-voting, as neither the ruling party nor the opposition currently holds the necessary numbers to guarantee a victory for the fourth seat.
The BJP’s nominees, state unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting MP Sujeet Kumar, submitted their papers alongside former Union Minister Dilip Ray. Ray is contesting as an Independent candidate but has the support of the saffron party.
On the opposition side, BJD nominees Santrupt Misra and renowned urologist Dr. Datteswar Hota filed their nominations. Notably, Dr Hota’s candidacy has secured the backing of both the Congress and the CPI(M).
Thursday was the final date for filing nomination papers for the biennial elections scheduled for March 16.
“By the 3 pm deadline, five candidates had filed their papers for the four available Rajya Sabha seats,” said an official from the Odisha Assembly.
The polling for the Rajya Sabha elections is scheduled to take place on March 16 from 9 AM to 4 PM, with the counting of votes beginning at 5 PM that same evening.
Current Assembly strengths suggest the BJP will comfortably secure two seats, while the BJD is expected to easily bag one. The primary battleground remains the fourth seat, where Dilip Ray and Dr. Datteswar Hota are expected to face off.
The BJP holds 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, totaling 82—eight votes short of the 90 required to elect three members. Meanwhile, the BJD has 48 MLAs following the suspension of two of its members. After securing its first seat, the BJD will have 18 first-preference votes remaining but would need 12 more to win a second. The Congress holds 14 seats, and the CPI(M) has one.
Accompanied by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and senior cabinet ministers and leaders, Samal and Kumar filed their nomination papers at the Odisha Assembly in Bhubaneswar, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, adding that the BJP-supported Dilip Ray submitted his nomination simultaneously.
“We hope that all three nomination papers will be valid during scrutiny,” Mahaling said.
Today, I filed my nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent candidate with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
On this occasion, I was accompanied by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha), Deputy Chief Ministers Shri… pic.twitter.com/DaaygnXR42
— Dilip ray (@DilipRayOdisha) March 5, 2026
Before filing, Samal and Kumar visited the city’s Sri Ram Mandir, arriving at the Assembly building in a ceremonial procession.
Approximately an hour earlier, BJD nominees Misra and Hota submitted their papers in the presence of BJD President Naveen Patnaik, state Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das, and CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Panigrahy, among others.
“I am very glad to announce that our two candidates have filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections. I congratulate both of them. I am sure they will succeed,” Patnaik told reporters.
Earlier, Patnaik had appealed to all the parties to support Hota as a “common candidate”.
The nomination filing presented a rare political image as Patnaik and Congress leaders stood together—a significant shift given that the BJD ousted the Congress from power 26 years ago and the two have been fierce rivals ever since.
ମହାନ ଜନନାୟକ,ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ପୂର୍ବତନ ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ତଥା ପ୍ରବାଦ ପୁରୁଷ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗତ ବିଜୁ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକଙ୍କ ୧୧୦ତମ ଜନ୍ମଜୟନ୍ତୀ ଅବସରରେ କଟକ ସ୍ଥିତ ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟାଳୟରେ ଦଳୀୟ ନେତୃବୃନ୍ଦ ଓ କର୍ମୀମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଯୋଗଦେଇ ତାଙ୍କ ପବିତ୍ର ସ୍ମୃତିରେ ଭକ୍ତିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳୀ ଅର୍ପଣ କଲି। #BijuPatnaik pic.twitter.com/yQhVGZGi7G
— Santrupt Misra (@DrSantruptMisra) March 5, 2026
The two sides have formed a tactical front to prevent the BJP from sweeping three of the four vacant seats in the state.
When questioned about this unexpected alliance with the Congress and his stance on secularism, Patnaik remarked, “Time always tells the history.”
After filing his paper, Ray said, “I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal for supporting my candidature. I have full confidence to win the RS polls.”
Ray, a veteran politician, noted that he had successfully navigated a similar Rajya Sabha election scenario back in 2002.
Regarding the possibility of cross-voting, Ray added, “I have well-wishers across all parties. I will begin an intensive campaign tomorrow to ensure my success.”
The Rajya Sabha elections will be held as the tenures of BJD’s Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan, and BJP’s Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta would end on April 2.
