BJP, which is comfortably placed to win two of the four Rajya Sabha seats that will fall vacant on April 2, is preparing to field three candidates, it is reliably learnt, preparing the ground for a contest that was last seen in 2014.
BJP legislators on Monday signed papers for three prospective nominees during a meeting chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi at his residence to firm up the party’s Rajya Sabha strategy ahead of the March 5 nomination deadline. State BJP president Manmohan Samal was also present.
The MLAs were asked to remain present in Bhubaneswar on March 5 for the nomination process, prior to which the parliamentary board will finalise the names of the three candidates.
“There will be three candidates,” party MLA Santosh Khatua said, responding to media queries after the meeting.
If BJP fields three candidates, there could be a contest for the fourth seat. In 2014, Congress nominee Ranjib Biswal had defeated BJD-backed independent Raghunath Mohapatra, who was supported by the BJP.
With 79 MLAs and the support of three independents, BJP has the numbers to comfortably secure two seats, each requiring 30 first-preference votes.
The BJD, with 48 MLAs (excluding two suspended members), is positioned to win one seat.
Sources said BJP rejected the idea of supporting “politically neutral” Dr Datteswar Hota, whose name was floated by the BJD as a “common candidate”. The Congress, with 14 MLAs, has already extended support to Hota.
After winning two seats — requiring 60 votes — BJP will have 22 surplus votes, falling short by eight for its third candidate. Similarly, the BJD, after securing one seat, will have 18 surplus votes. With Congress support, BJD-backed Hota may garner 32 votes and could win if there is no cross-voting.
BJP leaders, however, exuded confidence they would muster the numbers, claiming that many BJD and Congress MLAs are unhappy with the BJD-Congress understanding. They also said the two suspended BJD MLAs may not follow the party’s line and could vote in favour of the BJP instead.
It must be mentionedtoned that in case of Rajya Sabha elections, voting against the party whip is a valid vote.
