Bhubaneswar: Putting an end to speculation, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced media baron and former MP Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, eminent education entrepreneur Achyuta Samanta and film personality Prasanta Nanda as the three nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
While Nanda, a former minister, is a spokesperson of the party, Soumya and Achyuta joined BJD hours before getting the BJD ticket.
The Rajya Sabha elections are due as three seats from Odisha will fall vacant with the tenures of BJD members A U Singhdeo, Dilip Tirkey and BJD-backed Independent A V Swami ending next month.
“I will rake up Mahanadi, Polavaram issues and Centre’s negligence towards the State if elected as Rajya Sabha member. I have always sincerely taken up assignments given by BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik. This is not a reward, this is a responsibility,” said Nanda soon after he was named as Rajya Sabha nominee.
BJD sources said while Soumya and Achyuta got the nod because of their media organisations, Nanda was selected, ahead of other party hopefuls, including Dilip Tirkey and Padmini Sekhar Deo who were in the race till the last minute, because of his seniority and stature as a film personality.
Dubai: A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s Foreign Minister crashed on…
Bhubaneswar: BJP's MP candidate for Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi came down heavily on BJD leader VK…
By Kanishka Puri Rajani Panchang, who completed her BSc and MSc in Geology from Pune…
Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Sunday accused the BJP of resorting to derogatory remarks against chief…
Mumbai: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been a permanent fixture at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival…
Balangir: Will Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's decision to contest from Kantabanji, in addition to his…
Bhubaneswar: Election related violence erupted again in Odisha's Ganjam district as a group of BJP…
Lucknow: Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav had to leave a joint election rally in UP’s…