Odisha : Mamata Mohanta Files Nomination As BJP Candidate For Rajya Sabha By-poll

By B.Maharana
Bhubaneswar, August 22
The tribal leader Mamata Mohanta submitted nomination for the lone Rajya Sabha seat as BJP official candidate for the by-poll in Odisha Wednesday.. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Maji,along with senior leaders of the party accompanied Mamata during the submission of nominations
But in an interesting development , a senior leader of BJP Jagannath Pradhan who contested the last Assembly election unsuccessfully from Bhubaneswar central also filed his nomination as an Independent Candidate with ten BJP MLAs as his proposer. Since no candidate from opposition side filed nominations, Pradhan , the dummy candidate will withdraw from the race to facilitate the party’s official candidate Mohanta, BJP sources daid.
The by-poll is scheduled to be held on 3rd of September..
The party has earlier announced the name of Mamata Mohanta for the lone Rajya Sabha seat lying vacant following her resignation last month from the Upper House as a BJD member.
A day after resigning from Rajya Sabha and BJD, Mamata Mohanta had joined the BJP. She had resigned from the BJD alleging she was neglected by the party.
The BJP is almost certain to win the by-poll as it has 78 MLAs besides the support of three Independents in the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly.