In Odisha, voting for four Rajya Sabha seats is underway in the state assembly since 9 this morning, and it will continue till 4 this afternoon. Five candidates are in the fray for the four seats that will fall vacant on the second of April. The BJP has fielded its state president, Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha member Sujeet Kumar, while former Union Minister Dilip Ray is contesting as an Independent with the support of the party.
The opposition BJD has nominated party leader Santrupta Mishra and eminent physician Dr Datteswar Hota, whose candidature is supported by other opposition parties, the Congress and the CPI (M). In the 147-member Assembly, the BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, while the BJD has 48 members after the suspension of two of its legislators.
The Congress has 14 MLAs and the CPI(M) one member. As neither major party has the required first-preference votes for the fourth seat, the polling is being closely watched amid apprehensions of cross-voting. Counting of votes will begin at 5 this evening, and results are likely to be declared by tonight.
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