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BJP Fields Debashish Samantaray For Odisha Rajya Sabha Bypoll

in Politics, State News June 4, 2026 Comments Off on BJP Fields Debashish Samantaray For Odisha Rajya Sabha Bypoll 362 Views

Bhubaneswar:4/6/26: As expected in political circles, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the June 18 Rajya Sabha by-election in Odisha.

The Central Election Committee of the BJP has granted its approval to the names for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections to be held in various states and the by-election in Odisha for 2026. The announcement was made in a press release issued by BJP national general secretary Arun Singh.

Samantaray, a former Rajya Sabha member, had joined the BJP on May 26, a day after resigning from the BJD, stating that he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and vision for a developed India.

He joined the saffron outfit at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, Odisha BJP in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, and BJP’s state unit president ManmohanSama. After quitting the BJD, Samantaray had also met Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan tendered his resignation as a Rajya Sabha member

Following Samantaray’s resignation from the Rajya Sabha, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that by-election to the seat from Odisha vacated by him would be held on June 18. The vacancy in the Council of States from Odisha was created following the resignation of Samantaray on May 25, it said.

Notably, formal notification for the by-election was issued on June 1, and the last date of filing nomination is June 8. Scrutiny of nominations is slated to be taken up on June 9, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 11. It may be recalled that Samantaray, while quitting the BJD, had attacked the regional party over internal functioning and alleged that efforts were being made to sideline senior leaders instead of strengthening the organisation.

.A seasoned politician, Samantaray was elected to the Rajya Sabha in February 2024 as a BJD nominee. He had earlier represented the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency twice, winning elections in 2009 & 2014

About Editor in chief

Ashok Palit has completed his graduation from Upendranath College Soro, Balasore and post graduation from Utkal University in Odia Language and literture.. He has also carved out a niche for himself as a scribe of eminence after joining the profession in 1988. He is also an independent media production professional. He brings loads of experience to Advanced Media, Ashok Palit as a cineaste has been active in film criticism for over three decades. As a film society activist, he soared to eminence for his profound commitment to the art film appreciation and aesthetics of cinema. His mode of discourse is often erudite but always lucid and comprehensible marked by a perfect acumen so rare in the field. A film aesthete with an immense fond of critical sensibilities, he wrote about growth and development of odia cinema in New Indian Express, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Asian Age and Screen. He has been working as an Editor for Cine Samaya from 2002-2004.. He had made solid contribution on cinema in many odia Dailies and weekly such as Samaj, Prajatantra, Dharatri, Samaya, Satabadi, and weekly Samaya.
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