Odisha: Biju Janata Dal names Santrupt Misra, Dr Datteswar Hota for Rajya Sabha elections

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday announced two candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16.

BJD president Naveen Patnaik named entrepreneur-turned-politician Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr Datteswar Hota as the party’s nominees for the Upper House of Parliament.

Misra third seat nominee, Hota common candidate

Santrupt Misra has been nominated for the third Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha, while Dr Datteswar Hota has been named as the fourth candidate. Announcing the decision, Patnaik described Dr Hota as a “common candidate” and appealed to all political parties to extend support to him.

Dr Hota is a renowned medical professional and academician who previously served as the first Vice-Chancellor of the Odisha University of health Sciences and as Principal of SCB Medical College.

"For the Rajya Sabha election, our party has decided to give two candidates. The first candidate for the third seat is Dr. Santrupt Misra, a senior member from our party. The second candidate for the fourth seat is the common candidate  Dr. Datteswar Hota, a renowned doctor from Odisha who was the first Vice Chancellor of the Odisha University of Health Sciences and was also the Principal of the SCB Medical College," Patnaik said.

‘Always hopeful,’ says Patnaik

When asked about his confidence in the nominees’ victory, Naveen Patnaik responded with a smile, saying he was “always hopeful”.

Misra thanks party leadership

Santrupt Misra, who joined the BJD ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and contested from the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency, expressed gratitude to the party leadership for his nomination.

“I humbly accept my nomination given by BJD president Naveen Patnaik for the Rajya Sabha poll. I thank the party and my leader for trusting me with this responsibility,” he said.

Dr Hota said he would address the media later regarding his nomination.

Election schedule and vacant seats

As per the notification issued by the Election Commission of India, the nomination process began on February 26 and will continue till March 5. Scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for March 6, while March 9 has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal. Polling will be held on March 16.

Four Rajya Sabha seats to fall vacant from Odisha

In Odisha, four Rajya Sabha seats are set to fall vacant following the completion of the terms of BJP MPs Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, and BJD MPs Niranjan Bishi and Muzibulla Khan alias Munna Khan.

Based on the current strength of MLAs in the Odisha Assembly, two BJP candidates and one BJD candidate are considered certain to be elected to the Rajya Sabha, while the fourth seat remains politically significant.