Bhubaneswar: Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam has requested the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Surama Padhy to change the seating arrangement of three MLAs – Dasarathi Gomango, Sofia Firdus, and Ramesh Chandra Jena – who were suspended from the party for cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha election held on on March 16, 2026.
In a letter to the Speaker, Kadam stated that the suspended MLAs no longer remain part of the Congress Legislature Party and requested that their seating be rearranged according to established rules to reflect their current status.
Notably, Odisha BJP unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting MP Sujeet Kumar were elected on the party’s official ticket. Former Union Minister Dilip Ray, contesting as an Independent with BJP support, also won a seat, further strengthening the party’s representation in the Upper House from the state.
From the BJD, Santrupt Misra was elected, while Datteswar Hota, the common candidate of the BJD-Congress-CPI(M) alliance and a renowned urologist, lost the contest.
The four Rajya Sabha seats had fallen vacant on April 2 following the retirement of sitting members. The winners are expected to receive their membership certificates from the returning officer shortly, officially joining the Upper House.
