Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday announced that his party will support JD (U) candidate Dr Harivansh Narayan Singh for the Rajya Sabha Vice Chairman post.
Sources said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke to his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik Monday morning regarding Rajya Sabha Vice Chairman election and thereafter came the announcement from CM Patnaik.
CM Kumar had earlier spoken to CM Patnaik over phone September 10 seeking the latter’s support for JD (U) candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh.
The election for the post of Rajya sabha Vice Chaiman is scheduled to be held Monday 3.00pm. Harivansh had filed his nomination for the post Wednesday.
Notably, BJD had supported the JD (U) candidate in the 2018 Rajya Sabha Vice Chairman election as well following a similar talk between the two CMs of Odisha and Bihar.
Harivansh held the post from August 2018, but his Rajya Sabha term ended April 9, necessitating the election for the post. He was sent to Rajya Sabha again from Bihar.
In 2018, he had defeated Congress’s BK Hariprasad and was elected as the Vice Chairman.
BJD had earlier issued a whip directing all its MPs to be present in the House on the first day of Monsoon Session.
PNN
