Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Mamata Mohanta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Odisha.

The former Rajya Sabha member Mamata Mohanta had recently joined the BJP after quitting BJD. She was named for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha.

On August 17, BJP Prabhari (in-charge) for Odisha Vijaypal Singh Tomar had revealed about re-nominating Mohanta as the Rajya Sabha member from the state.

“Mamata Mohanta will be fielded by the BJP for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha. BJP central leadership will announce her candidature in a day or two,” Tomar had said.

Mohanta was elected to the Rajya Sabha on a BJD ticket in April, 2020. Her tenure as Rajya Sabha MP was supposed to end in April, 2026.

However, Mohanta joined the BJP on August 1, a day after resigning from the Upper House of the Parliament and primary membership of BJD in Odisha.

Voting for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha is scheduled to be held on September 3.

The BJP is almost certain to win the Rajya Sabha seat as it has 78 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly.

Notably, Odisha sends 10 members to the Upper House of Parliament. With the resignation of Mohanta, the Rajya Sabha tally of Naveen Patnaik-led BJD has come down to eight.