Bhubaneswar: Intensifying the campaign for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls from Odisha, Opposition-backed common candidate Datteswar Hota Saturday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, while BJP-backed Independent candidate Dilip Ray expressed confidence of winning the election on the basis of “conscience votes”.
Accompanied by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, Hota sought the support of the party’s 14 MLAs in Odisha.
Taking to X, Das said, “Met Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) in Delhi today along with INC-BJD’s common candidate Dr Datteshwar Hota and sought his guidance.”
Congress Odisha in-charge Ajay Lalu and Rachnatmak Congress chairman Sandeep Dikshit were also present at the meeting, he said.
Met Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) in Delhi today along with INC-BJD’s common candidate Dr Datteshwar Hota and sought his guidance.@INCOdisha incharge Shri @AjayLalluINC and Rachnatmak Congress Chairman Shri @_SandeepDikshit also remained present. pic.twitter.com/z7qfaDlh8I
— Bhakta Charan Das (@BhaktaCharanDas) March 7, 2026
Hota, an eminent urologist, was named the joint candidate by Naveen Patnaik and has secured the backing of the Biju Janata Dal, the Congress and the CPI(M).
He is pitted against Ray, a former Union minister and a well-established hotelier.
Ray, considered a veteran politician of the Biju Patnaik era, has the experience of winning the Rajya Sabha election as an Independent candidate despite stiff opposition by Patnaik in 2002.
Ray said he had well-wishers across political parties and was confident of victory in the March 16 polls.
“I have well-wishers in all parties, and they will vote for me as per conscience,” he said.
However, senior BJD MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo questioned Ray’s claim, pointing out that changes in Rajya Sabha election rules make cross-voting difficult.
“In 2002, MLAs voted through secret ballot. That provision no longer exists. Now it is an open ballot system where MLAs have to show their vote to the party agent before casting it,” Sahoo said.
The Rajya Sabha election in Odisha has been necessitated as the tenure of four MPs — Niranjan Bishi, Munna Khan, Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta — will end April 2.
According to the Rajya Sabha arithmetic in Odisha, one candidate needs at least 30 first-preference votes to win a seat.
In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, taking its tally to 82 — eight short of the number required to elect three MPs.
The BJD has 48 MLAs after two members were suspended last month. After electing one MP, it will have 18 surplus first-preference votes and will require another 12 to secure the second seat.
The Congress has 14 MLAs and the CPI(M) one.
As neither the BJP nor the BJD would be able to win the fourth seat on their own, Patnaik fielded a common candidate, Hota.
PTI
