Odisha : 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.

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