Bhubaneswar: Mamata Mohanta, who recently joined the BJP after quitting BJD, is all set to be re-nominated as the saffron party is going to field her for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha.
This was revealed by BJP Prabhari (in-charge) for Odisha Vijaypal Singh Tomar today.
Mohanta had been elected to the Rajya Sabha on a BJD ticket in April, 2020. Her tenure as Rajya Sabha MP was supposed to end in April, 2026.
However, Mohanta joined the BJP on August 1, a day after resigning from the Upper House of the Parliament and primary membership of BJD in Odisha.
“Mamata Mohanta will be fielded by the BJP for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha. BJP central leadership will announce her candidature in a day or two,” Tomar said.
Voting for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha is scheduled to be held on September 3.
The BJP is almost certain to win the Rajya Sabha seat as it has 78 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly.
Notably, Odisha sends 10 members to the Upper House of Parliament. With the resignation of Mohanta, the Rajya Sabha tally of Naveen Patnaik-led BJD has come down to eight.