Bhubaneswar, February 26: Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal announced that the party will reveal its Rajya Sabha candidates before March 5. Samal confirmed that a list of potential nominees has been forwarded to the BJP Parliamentary Board for final approval. He assured that the selection process is being handled at the highest level.

BJP's Odisha in-charge, Vijayapal Singh Tomar, expressed confidence in a smooth election process and affirmed that the party would field "the right candidates."

The terms of four Rajya Sabha members from Odisha, including BJP’s Sujit Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, are set to expire in April, creating a competitive race. The BJP has an edge with 82 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, while the BJD holds 50, and the Congress has 14. Two suspended BJD MLAs may also vote independently, weakening the BJD's position.

Meanwhile, Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das hopes for a joint opposition candidate with the BJD for the fourth seat, citing necessary arithmetic. He plans to consult the Congress high command in New Delhi to finalize the party’s strategy.