Odisha Rajya Sabha race heats up as ex-Union minister Dilip Ray seeks cross-party support

Bhubaneswar, Mar 4 (PTI) A day after receiving the ruling BJP’s backing for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Odisha, former Union minister Dilip Ray on Wednesday launched his campaign, asserting that arranging the required additional votes would be "not a difficult task" for him.

Ray, the lone parliamentarian from Odisha to have served as a Union minister under three prime ministers -- Atal Bihari Vajpayee, HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral -- had on Tuesday announced his decision to contest the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent candidate, despite being a BJP member.

Of the four Rajya Sabha seats from the state going to polls, the BJP has fielded its state president Manmohan Samal and MP Sujeet Kumar as official candidates, while extending support to Ray for the fourth seat.

The BJD has nominated Santrupt Misra as its official candidate and named eminent urologist Datteswar Hota as a "common" candidate for the fourth seat.

With neither the BJP nor the BJD having sufficient numbers to secure the fourth seat outright, the contest is expected to be between BJP-backed Ray and BJD-supported Hota.

Under the current strength in the 147-member Assembly, a candidate requires 30 first-preference votes to win. The BJP has 79 MLAs and the support of three Independents, taking its tally to 82. After ensuring victory for its two official candidates, the party will have a surplus of 22 votes.

The BJD, with 48 MLAs following the suspension of two members in January, will have 18 surplus votes after securing one seat. The Congress has 14 MLAs and the CPI(M) has one member.

Ray will need at least eight additional votes beyond the BJP’s surplus to win.

"It is not a difficult task for me. I have well-wishers in all parties. I had done it in 2002. Then, I arranged 30 votes by contesting as an Independent candidate and won. I am confident of securing the required support and winning the polls this time too,” Ray said.

The Rajya Sabha elections are being held as the terms of MPs Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan (BJD), and Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta (BJP) are ending.

Amid intense political activity, Ray visited veteran politician Bijoy Mohapatra’s residence.

Mohapatra’s son Arvind, an MLA who was recently suspended from the BJD for alleged anti-party activities, said no decision had been taken yet.

"Yes, Dilip uncle had visited our place, and he is a family friend. There is nothing about RS polls. I have not decided whom to vote for. Let the nomination and withdrawal process be completed, then we will take a decision," Arvind Mohapatra said.

Another suspended BJD MLA, Sanatan Mahakud, is also being seen as a potential supporter for Ray.

Ray also sought support from the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das confirmed that Ray had contacted him.

"Yes, Ray had called seeking Congress' support. I told him ‘sorry’ as Congress has already announced support to common candidate Dr Datteswar Hota," Das said.

"There is no opposition to him as a friend, but he represents the BJP, which has strong ideological differences with Congress. Friendship will have no role when there are ideological differences," he added.

Das claimed that Hota would secure 33 votes -- 18 from BJD, 14 from Congress and one from CPI(M) -- exceeding the required 30 first-preference votes.

"All our MLAs are united, and there is no chance of cross-voting," he asserted.

BJD candidate Santrupt Misra also expressed confidence, saying, "Both our candidates will certainly win as opposition MLAs are united." Ray, however, pointed to his 2002 Rajya Sabha victory, when he won amid cross-voting, defeating Congress candidate Maurice Kujur.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and BJP state president Manmohan Samal expressed confidence that Ray would be able to muster the necessary support. PTI AAM AAM MNB