Veteran politician Dilip Ray to file nomination for Rajya Sabha polls as Independent; BJP to extend support

Bhubaneswar: Minutes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Sujeet Kumar and Manmohan Samal as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections from Odisha, senior politician Dilip Ray announced he would file his nomination as an Independent candidate, with the BJP extending its support to him.

Speaking exclusively to Kanak News, Ray said he would contest the elections to the Upper House as an Independent and file his nomination on March 5.

Ray is a senior BJP leader in Odisha and has represented the Rourkela constituency multiple times in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. He has also served two terms in the Rajya Sabha — from 1996 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2008.

Odisha BJP State President Manmohan Samal, during a press conference, announced the party would extend its support to Ray.

Earlier in the day, the BJP’s Central Election Committee cleared the party’s list of candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls in six states, including Odisha. The party nominated Sujeet Kumar and Manmohan Samal from the state.

Sujeet Kumar is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha. He joined the BJP in September 2024 after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Following his resignation, BJD president Naveen Patnaik expelled him from the party on charges of anti-party activities.

Manmohan Samal is the Odisha BJP State President and was re-elected unopposed in July 2025 for a fourth term. His leadership has been widely credited for the BJP’s historic victory in the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, which ended the BJD’s 24-year rule in the state.

The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for March 16, 2026.

As per the Election Commission of India (ECI) notification, the last date for filing nominations is March 5. Scrutiny will take place on March 6, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9.

Polling will be held on March 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with counting of votes beginning at 5 p.m. the same day. The Commission has stated that the entire election process will conclude by March 20.

Meanwhile, speculation continues over whether the BJP will field a third candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha. According to reports, a meeting of senior party leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, decided to field three candidates in the polls.

The BJD has nominated entrepreneur-turned-politician Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr Datteswar Hota as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP holds 79 seats, a number that has risen to 82 with the support of Independents. The BJD has 48 members (excluding two suspended legislators), while the Congress holds 14 seats. The CPI(M) has one seat in the House.