Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has purchased six nomination forms from the Odisha Assembly Secretariat for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
The conch party’s move signals a calculated and flexible approach as the contest for four vacant seats gathers momentum.
With polling scheduled for March 16, the party’s decision to procure more forms than the one seat it is comfortably positioned to win suggests it is keeping multiple strategic options open.
The additional forms could allow the BJD to field more than one candidate if political equations shift, or serve as a safeguard during scrutiny and withdrawal stages.
With 79 MLAs and support from Independents, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to secure two seats comfortably while the BJD has the numbers for one assured seat with 48 MLAs (plus 2 suspended members).
However, the most closely watched contest is for the fourth seat as no party can win it independently without cross-voting or support. For the fourth seat, the BJD would require backing from either the BJP or Congress to mount a serious challenge.
Adding to the anticipation, the BJD’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is scheduled to meet this evening. The meeting is expected to finalize the candidate for the assured seat and deliberate on the party’s approach to the fourth seat.