Suspended BJD MLAs Hold the Key in Odisha’s Rajya Sabha Polls
With four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha up for grabs, the electoral math has taken an intriguing turn.
Two suspended BJD legislators — Arvind Mahapatra and Sanatan Mahakud — now hold decisive votes that could alter the balance of power.
The BJD, with 30 first‑preference votes, is assured of one seat and has 18 surplus votes. If aligned with Congress, which has 14 votes plus one from the Left, the alliance could secure a fourth seat.
The BJP, commanding 79 MLAs and support from three independents, is comfortably positioned to win two seats and could clinch a third with additional backing.
The suspense lies in how the two suspended MLAs cast their ballots. Their votes will only count if they correctly identify the polling agent of the candidate they support.
While speculation of a BJD‑Congress tie‑up persists, observers largely dismiss the possibility.
The final outcome hinges on these two legislators, making them the unlikely kingmakers in Odisha’s Rajya Sabha elections.
