Bhubaneswar, Mar 12 (PTI) The opposition BJD and the Congress in Odisha have issued whips directing their MLAs to remain in Bhubaneswar and ensure their presence in the assembly on March 16 for the Rajya Sabha election, in which five candidates are contesting for four seats.
Amid the possibility of cross-voting, both parties asked their legislators to be present in the state capital from March 13 to 16.
Two official candidates of the BJP are the party’s state unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar. Former Union minister Dilip Ray is also contesting as an Independent and has the support of the saffron party.
The BJD nominees are party leader Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr Datteswar Hota, whom the Congress and the CPI(M) are supporting.
There is a possibility of cross-voting as neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition BJD has the required numbers to win the fourth seat.
A senior official of the Odisha Assembly said, “Parties cannot issue a whip on voting (on party lines during Rajya Sabha polls). But there is no restriction on a whip to remain present.” BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik and the state Congress president Bhakta Charan Das had accused the ruling BJP of attempting to indulge in horse-trading for the biennial polls.
“All MLAs of the Biju Janata Dal are hereby informed that the voting for the Rajya Sabha elections 2026 will be held on Monday, March 16, from 9 am to 4 pm on the premises of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The MLAs are directed not to leave HQ and be present in Bhubaneswar from March 13-16 unfailingly. This may be treated as a three-line whip, and strict compliance is solicited,” a note issued by party chief whip Pramila Mallik late on Wednesday said.
A day after the BJD’s whip, a notice issued by Congress whip CS Raazen Ekka read, “All the Congress Legislature Party MLAs are directed not to leave HQ and be present in Bhubaneswar from March 13-16 unfailingly.” BJD MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo said the lawmakers who are out of the state capital or have pre-scheduled engagements are being informed that their presence in the city is essential in the wake of the polls.
The state Congress chief said, “Our MLAs are united and go by the party’s decision to vote for Dr Dattswar Hota.” While the BJD has 50 MLAs, with two of them currently under suspension, the number of Congress legislators is 14 in the 147-member Odisha Assembly.
The BJP and BJD are expected to win comfortably in two and one seats, respectively. The contest is likely for the fourth seat between Ray and Hota.
The BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, totalling 82, which is eight short of the number required for electing three MPs. The BJD has 48 MLAs, after two of its members were suspended last month. After electing one MP, it will have 18 first-preference votes but will require another 12 to bag the second seat. The Congress has 14 MLAs, and the CPI(M) has one.
Independent candidate and BJP leader Dilip Ray, an old warhorse, had won the Rajya Sabha election under a similar situation in 2002.
The recent defection of former Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena to the BJP sparked speculations of cross-voting. His resignation in the run-up to the polls sparked concern as his wife Subasini Jena is a BJD MLA.
However, Subasini Jena told reporters that she is a disciplined member of BJD and would go by the party’s decision. PTI AAM ACD AAM NN
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