Odisha state BJP issues whip to party MLAs ahead of Rajya Sabha elections
Bhubaneshwar, March 13
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday issued a whip to all its MLAs ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha.
The State Legislative Assembly Chief Whip, Saroj Kumar Pradhan, has directed party legislators to remain present in the State Assembly on March 16 (Monday) for the voting process.
Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also issued a three-line whip to all party MLAs, directing them to remain in attend party meetings in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Legislators have been asked to ensure their mandatory presence at Naveen Nivas for the presentation and training programme on March 13 and 14, scheduled from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm.
Additionally, all BJD legislators must attend a legislative party meeting at Naveen Nivas on March 15. This meeting serves as a preparation ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections on Monday.
Furthermore, the BJD has announced Santrupt Misra as its candidate, and the BJP has nominated Odisha party chief Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Four Upper House seats will fall vacant in April and undergo polling in the state.
The polling for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.
The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see Santrupt Misra as the BJD candidate. He has a strong corporate background. Hope our representatives focus on developmental issues for Odisha in the Upper House, not just party politics. 🤞
All this strict whip and training programmes... feels like they're preparing for a war, not an election! 😅 But I guess in politics, every seat counts. Just hope the elected members actually work for the state's benefit.
While the process is important, I respectfully feel the focus is too much on party discipline and less on the candidates' vision for Odisha. What are their specific plans for tribal welfare, industrial growth, and disaster management? Those are our real issues.
Following Indian politics from abroad. The Rajya Sabha is crucial for representing states' interests at the national level. Odisha's voice on issues like coastal management and mining should be strong. Hope the elected members are effective.
Good to see both parties being proactive. The training programme for BJD MLAs is a smart move. In a democracy, every vote matters and every MLA should understand the weight of their responsibility. Jai Odisha!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.