Voting begins for 4 Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha

Voting for four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha began on Monday at the state Assembly complex, with political tensions rising amid fears of cross-voting. The polling commenced at 9 a.m. and will continue until 4 p.m., while the counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m,according to information.The elections have drawn significant attention as five candidates are contesting for the four seats that will fall vacant on April 2. This is the first time in 12 years that voting for Rajya Sabha elections is taking place in the state, adding to the political intensity surrounding the contest.

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Patnaik arrives at the State Assembly to vote for Rajya Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/sRIlr0UTYC

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

According to information, The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded two candidates — its Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar. Former Union minister Dilip Ray is also contesting as an Independent candidate with the backing of the BJP.The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has nominated party leader Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr. Datteswar Hota. Both candidates have received support from the Congress and the CPI(M), strengthening the opposition’s attempt to secure seats in the Upper House.However, the contest for the fourth seat has become a closely watched political battle as neither the ruling BJP nor the BJD possesses the clear numerical strength required to ensure victory, raising the possibility of cross-voting among legislators. The BJD has accused the BJP of attempting “horse trading” to influence the outcome of the election, a charge the saffron party has denied.
In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP currently has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independent legislators. The BJD has 48 MLAs after the suspension of two of its members earlier this year. The Congress holds 14 seats, while the CPI(M) has one legislator.Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha biennial elections are being held across 10 states on Monday to fill 37 vacancies in the Upper House. These states include Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal.Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates have already been elected unopposed, leaving 11 seats for voting on Monday. These include five seats from Bihar, four from Odisha, and two from Haryana.Political developments in Bihar have also drawn attention, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar entering the Rajya Sabha race after filing his nomination in the presence of senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah.