Bhubaneswar, Aug 21 (UNI) Former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta, who was nominated by the BJP for the by-election to the Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha, filed her nomination papers here on Wednesday.
Elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2020 as a BJD candidate, Mamata Mohanta, a popular Kudumi community leader from the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, resigned from her RS seat and the primary membership of the BJD on July 31 and joined the saffron party on August 1.
On Tuesday, the BJP nominated her for the Rajya Sabha seat, putting an end to all political speculation about the possible candidate for the bypoll from Odisha, slated to be held on September 3.
Accompanied by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP Odisha President Man Mohan Samal, party’s Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, and several party MLAs, Mamata filed her nomination papers before the Returning Officer in the Odisha Assembly.
Mamata is all set to be elected to the Upper House from Odisha as the ruling BJP has 78 MLAs and the support of three Independent MLAs. The BJD, Congress, and CPM have 51, 14, and one member respectively in the 147-member Odisha Assembly.
At present, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has eight Rajya Sabha members, while the BJP has one, held by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has been elected from the state twice consecutively with the support of the BJD.
