Rajya Sabha elections on February 27th to fill three vacant seats. The Election Commission has announced the date for this crucial electoral process. The current term of the three Rajya Sabha members from Odisha, including Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is set to conclude on April 3rd. These three parliamentarians are Amar Patnaik and Prashanta Nanda from BJD and Ashwini Vaishnaw from BJP.
Term of All Three Leaders Ending on April 3rd
The official notification for the elections is expected to be issued on February 8th. The deadline for filing nominations is set for February 15th. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on February 16th, and candidates can withdraw their names until February 20th. Following this, the voting will take place on February 27th.
It is notable that Amar Patnaik was elected to the Rajya Sabha from BJD on June 29, 2019. Similarly, Prashanta Nanda secured his Rajya Sabha seat on April 4, 2016. On the other hand, Ashwini Vaishnaw was elected to the Rajya Sabha from BJP on June 29, 2019. The term of office for these three leaders is concluding on April 3rd.
Uncertainty Over Candidates for the Three Seats
Currently, it remains unclear who will be chosen to contest these three seats. There are speculations that BJD may nominate a female candidate for one of the seats. Additionally, discussions are ongoing about Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw contesting the Lok Sabha elections. In the coming days, it will be interesting to see who gets the opportunity to represent Odisha in the Rajya Sabha.
