Debashish Samantaray Named BJP’s Rajya Sabha Candidate in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, June 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the upcoming Odisha Rajya Sabha by‑election.
Samantaray, a three‑time former MLA, resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and vacated his Rajya Sabha seat on May 25 before joining the BJP the following day.
Samantaray previously represented Tirtol (2000) and Barabati‑Cuttack (2009, 2014) constituencies, though he lost in 2019.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2024 on a BJD ticket, with his term originally set to run until 2030.
Expressing gratitude to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal, Samantaray said their support was crucial in his nomination.
The Election Commission has scheduled the by‑poll process as follows: nominations close on June 8, scrutiny on June 9, withdrawal deadline on June 11, and polling (if required) on June 18 with results the same day.
With the BJP‑led alliance holding a majority in the Odisha Assembly, political observers suggest Samantaray could win unopposed if Congress and BJD choose not to field candidates.
His nomination is seen as a strategic morale boost for the BJP in Odisha, ensuring an experienced voice in the Rajya Sabha.
