BJP Eyes Majority in Odisha Rajya Sabha Seats After Nuapada By-Poll Win

In the aftermath of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) emphatic victory in the Nuapada by-election, the political spotlight has shifted to Odisha’s upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.

Four seats are set to fall vacant in April 2026, currently held by BJP’s Sujit Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, alongside Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders Munna Khan and Niranjan Bishi.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sujit Kumar has predicted that his party is poised to secure at least three of the four seats, leaving just one for the opposition BJD. “Out of the four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant next year, two are clear for the BJP.

One will go to the BJD, while there’s a close contest on the fourth. However, the probability of it going to the BJP is quite high,” Kumar told reporters.

The arithmetic hinges on the Odisha Assembly’s composition: BJP holds 82 MLAs, BJD 51, and Congress 14.

The Nuapada win has strengthened the BJP’s tally, narrowing the gap required for uncontested victories under the proportional representation system.

While BJP leaders celebrate the momentum, BJD MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena has accused the party of “overconfidence fueled by power and money.” He argued that BJP’s success in Nuapada was driven by financial clout rather than grassroots support.

Political analysts note that although the BJP is short of a simple majority (74 seats), alliances or cross-voting could prove decisive.

The coming months are expected to see intense lobbying within both parties, with the BJP’s parliamentary board likely to reward key performers from the by-poll with Rajya Sabha nominations.

As Odisha heads toward the 2026 polls, the Rajya Sabha battle underscores the fragile balance in the state’s 147-member assembly, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the BJP’s rising confidence and the BJD’s resilience.