Today is the last day to withdraw nominations for the Rajya Sabha election in Odisha. On the 22nd, two candidates submitted their papers for the only open seat. Mamata Mahanth, a former MP, submitted her nomination as a BJP candidate. Jagannath Pradhan also filed as an independent candidate but was supported by a BJP MLA.
Jagannath Pradhan has announced that he will withdraw his nomination. If he does, the by-election scheduled for three days from now will be canceled, and Mamata Mahanth will win unopposed.
Mamata Mahanth recently resigned from the Rajya Sabha and left the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to join the BJP. Last Tuesday, the BJP announced her as their Rajya Sabha candidate. Mamata Mahanth is a well-known leader of the Kudumi community, with strong support in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha by the BJD in 2020 but resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and BJD on July 31.