Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra has been nominated to the panel of Vice-Chairmen of Rajya Sabha.

The Chairman of the Upper House of the Parliament today reconstituted the panel in which Patra has been inducted.

Five others-- Bhubaneswar Kalita, Vandana Chavan, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Surendra Singh Nagar and L Hanumanthaiah-- have also been included in the panel.

Patra, a BJD MP, became the first from Odisha in 20 years to be nominated to Vice-Chairmen Panel of Rajya Sabha. He expressed his deep gratitude to Odisha CM and BJD President Naveen Patnaik for having nominated him to Rajya Sabha, and to Chairman, Rajya Sabha.