Bhubaneswar: The Congress Party has thrown its weight behind BJD’s second Rajya Sabha candidate Dr Datteswar Hota, with Pradesh Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das announcing support for Hota’s candidature.
Das had discussed fielding a consensus candidate with BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik earlier this week. The BJD’s first candidate is Santrupt Mishra, who had unsuccessfully contested the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat on BJD ticket last general election.
Naveen Patnaik has appealed for support for Dr Hota’s candidature. The Rajya Sabha elections are necessitated due to the end of terms of four MPs, including BJP’s Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, and BJD’s Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan.
