Mamata Mahanta

By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 21, 2024: Mamata Mohanta, a former Rajya Sabha MP who recently switched sides from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to the BJP, filed a nomination for membership in the Upper House of Parliament on Wednesday.

The BJP on Monday had announced the candidature of Ms. Mohanta for re-election to the post. Despite multiple contenders for the Rajya Sabha seat, including State BJP president Manmohan Samal, the party chose to back Ms. Mohanta. This move is being seen as a clear message to the BJD camp that switching sides would not jeopardise one’s membership.

The seat had fallen vacant after Ms. Mohanta, who was then BJD Rajya Sabha MP, tendered her resignation on July 31. On the same day, she also quit the BJD. Ms. Mohanta, a leading leader of Kudumi community, joined the BJP the next day.

Flanked by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and senior BJP leaders, Ms. Mohanta submitted her nomination papers in the Assembly. “I will work towards development of Odisha as well as my home district of Mayurbhanj,” she said.

To be on safe side, Jagannath Pradhan, a BJP leader who unsuccessfully fought the Assembly election from Bhubaneswar, also filed nomination as an Independent with 10 MLAs backing his candidature.

Political analysts said the BJP did not want to take chances with the sole candidature of Ms. Mohanta. In the event of rejection of her candidature on any technical grounds, Mr. Pradhan would still remain in the fray. After checking of nomination papers, Mr. Pradhan is likely to withdraw from the race.

Ms. Mohanta was elected to the Rajya Sabha on April 3, 2020 and would have completed her full term in April 2026. The BJP’s decision to retain her, reducing the BJD’s strength from nine to eight, appears to be a strategic move.