By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 27, 2016 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday announced Prasanna Acharya, Bishnu Das and N Bhaskar Rao as the party candidates for the three Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

“Three senior leaders of the Biju Janata Dal have been chosen to be the party candidates for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. They are Prasanna Acharya, Bishnu Charan Das, and N Bhaskar
Rao,” Patnaik on Friday told media persons at his residence Naveen Nivas here.

Bhaskar Rao presently is the deputy chairman of the State Planning Board while Bishnu Charan Das is the party’s
Jagatsinghpur district president. Prasanna Acharya has been a former member of the Lok Sabha and a minister in Naveen Patnaik led ministry.

The last date for filing of nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls is May 31.

The term of Rajya Sabha members Bhupinder Singh, Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and Baisnab Charan Parida (all from BJD) will expire on July 1. BJD has the requisite numbers to garner all the three seats.

An elated Bhaskar Rao profusely thanked his leader Naveen saying, “I have been associated with Biju Parivar and working with it for 40 years. Today I was asked by Naveen babu to file nominations for Rajya Sabha. I thank the Chief Minister for this. I have executed with sincerity whatever responsibility has been assigned to me and will continue to do so in the future.”

“I express my gratefulness to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for selecting as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha. I am an ordinary worker of the party. Development of the state is our party’s motto, I will take it forward,” said former minister and senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya.

Former minister Bishnu Das said, “This is the reward for 40 years of hard work. I thank the Chief Minister for deciding to send me to the Rajya Sabha. I will work for the development of Odisha.”