ONI Bureau: BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday named Prashanta Nanda, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Dr. Achyuta Samanta as the party candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the State.
Worth mentioning, the tenure of AU Singhdeo (BJD), Dilip Tirkey (BJD) and AV Swami (Independent) ends on April 2, 2018.
As per the notification, filling of nomination will continue till March 12 from today between 11 am and 3 pm. Likewise, the scrutiny of nominations is March 13 while that for withdrawal is March 15. The elctions will be held on March 23.
Earlier today, noted philanthropist and the founder of KIIT and KISS Dr. Achyuta Samanta and Ama Odisha Chief and Editor of leading Odia daily ‘Sambad’ Soumya Ranjan Patnaik joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) at Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar.
As BJD has 118 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, all the above candidates are set to be elected unopposed.