Bhubaneswar, Mar 16: The elections to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha concluded on Monday with expected victories for candidates backed by the ruling alliance, while subtle cross-voting among legislators added an element of surprise to the results.

According to the official voting pattern in the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, Manmohan Samal and sitting Member of Parliament Sujeet Kumar secured victories on the ticket of the Bharatiya Janata Party, with each candidate receiving 35 votes.

Independent candidate Dilip Ray, who contested with BJP support, also performed strongly and secured 23 first-preference votes, further boosting the party’s presence in the Upper House.

From the Biju Janata Dal, candidate Santrupt Misra won a seat after obtaining 31 votes. Meanwhile, noted urologist Datteswar Hota, the joint nominee of the BJD-Congress-CPI(M) alliance, received 23 first-preference votes.

The four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha had fallen vacant on April 2 following the retirement of sitting members. The newly elected candidates are expected to receive their membership certificates from the returning officer soon.

The outcome strengthens the BJP’s footprint in the Rajya Sabha from Odisha while leaving the BJD with a reduced representation. The voting pattern also indicated instances of cross-voting, suggesting that some legislators may have deviated from their party’s official line during the election.

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