Bhubaneswar, June 5: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Debashish Samantaray on Friday filed his nomination papers for the by-election to the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha at the State Assembly premises in Bhubaneswar.

The nomination filing was marked by a strong show of support from the ruling BJP leadership. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, along with several ministers, legislators and senior party leaders, accompanied Samantaray during the submission of his papers.

Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination, Samantaray expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party leadership for reposing faith in him. He said joining the BJP felt like a homecoming and thanked party workers, legislators, the chief whip and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister for their support.

“I feel as though I have returned to my own home. The affection and trust shown by the party leadership and workers have strengthened my resolve to serve the people,” he said.

Expressing confidence about the outcome of the election, Samantaray said the BJP enjoys comfortable numerical strength in the Odisha Assembly and he expects to be elected unopposed to the Upper House of Parliament.

Taking a swipe at the opposition BJD, he said the people of Odisha had delivered a decisive mandate in the 2024 elections and that the BJP government was working to realize the vision of a developed Odisha under the broader goal of Viksit Bharat.

The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant after Samantaray resigned from the Upper House on May 25, paving the way for the by-election. He also dismissed concerns over possible cross-voting, expressing complete confidence in party discipline and legislative support.

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