Biju Janata Dal (BJD) spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb on Monday filed his nomination for the by-poll to the lone vacant Rajya Sabha (RS) seat from Odisha.
Deb filed his papers before the Assembly Secretary-cum-Returning Officer in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior BJD leaders.
“‘I would like to thank party president Naveen Patnaik for nominating me to Rajya Sabha. My priority will be to take up various problems I have been debating as a spokesperson in the Odisha media. I will get a right platform to put those things in Rajya Sabha,”’ Deb said.
The bye-election is scheduled to be held on May 25. The ruling BJD is all set to win the seat as it enjoys a thumping majority in the Assembly.
The Upper House seat from Odisha has fallen vacant following resignation of Bishnu Charan Das on March 21 this year. His term of office would have ended on July 1, 2022.
Also, the ruling BJD on the day moved a motion of notice to elect former Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat as the Speaker of the State Assembly.
The motion of notice was moved before the Assembly Secretary with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik being its proposer and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha as its supporter. later, Amat filed his nomination before the Assembly Secretary.
The election for the Speaker scheduled to be held on May 16 at 3 PM.
Notably, Amat had resigned on May 6 from the Cabinet before the Chief Minister undertook a major reshuffle in his Ministry the next day. Niranjan Pujari had tendered his resignation as the Assembly Speaker on May 5 and later inducted as a Minister.