Odisha state BJP issues whip to party MLAs ahead of Rajya Sabha elections

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], March 13 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday issued a whip to all its MLAs ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha.
The State Legislative Assembly Chief Whip, Saroj Kumar Pradhan, has directed party legislators to remain present in the State Assembly on March 16 (Monday) for the voting process.
Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also issued a three-line whip to all party MLAs, directing them to remain in attend party meetings in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Legislators have been asked to ensure their mandatory presence at Naveen Nivas for the presentation and training programme on March 13 and 14, scheduled from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm.
Additionally, all BJD legislators must attend a legislative party meeting at Naveen Nivas on March 15. This meeting serves as a preparation ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections on Monday.
Furthermore, the BJD has announced Santrupt Misra as its candidate, and the BJP has nominated Odisha party chief Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Four Upper House seats will fall vacant in April and undergo polling in the state.
The polling for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.
The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected. (ANI)