Odisha Rajya Sabha Polls See Cross-Voting As MLAs Support BJP-Backed Independent

Cross-voting and political tensions marked the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha on Monday, where polling was held for four seats. The contest has become closely watched after several opposition legislators reportedly defied party lines, potentially influencing the outcome of the final seat.

Reports indicated that at least five opposition MLAs, including three members of the Indian National Congress—Ramesh Jena, Dasarathi Gomango, and Sofia Firdous—voted in favour of Independent candidate Dilip Ray, who is backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The cross-voting has raised concerns within opposition ranks and added uncertainty to the race for the fourth seat.

A legislator from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Devi Ranjan Tripathy, also voted for Ray, stating that his decision was in line with the political legacy of Biju Patnaik, who he said had always opposed the Congress. Another BJD MLA, Souvic Biswal, was also reported to have supported Ray, with his family alleging that he had faced neglect within the party.

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The BJP has fielded state unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar in the contest. Meanwhile, the BJD has nominated Santrupt Misra and Datteswar Hota, with support from the Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Amid the developments, BJD president Naveen Patnaik accused the BJP and its allies of engaging in “horse trading,” alleging that opposition legislators who switched sides had questionable backgrounds. With neither BJP nor BJD having sufficient numbers for the fourth seat on their own, the reported cross-voting is expected to play a decisive role in determining the final outcome of the Rajya Sabha election in the state.

Also Read: Odisha RS Polls: Naveen Patnaik Raises Concerns Over Alleged BJP Manipulations