Bhubaneswar: The scrutiny process for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha was completed on Friday with the acceptance of nomination papers of five candidates.
As per reports, the scrutiny process, conducted on Friday, validated the nominations of Santrupt Misra, Dr Datteswar Hota, Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar, and Dilip Ray.
Santrupt Misra and Dr. Datteswar Hota are the candidates put forth by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Manmohan Samal, its state president, and Sujeet Kumar, a sitting Rajya Sabha member.
Additionally, the party has extended its support to Dilip Ray, a senior leader contesting as an independent candidate. This move by the BJP is seen as a calculated attempt to secure three out of the four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha.
To win a seat, a candidate needs at least 30 first-preference votes, according to the Rajya Sabha electoral formula. The BJP, with the backing of 82 MLAs, is poised to win two seats comfortably and has 22 surplus votes.
