Dr. Pabitra Mohan Samantaray Emerges as Key Figure in Odisha’s Rajya Sabha Power Play NEW DELHI / BHUBANESWAR

KAs Odisha heads towards the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for April 2, intense political maneuvering has begun among the state’s major parties, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) engaged in complex electoral calculations. The polls have assumed added significance as four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha are set to fall vacant, setting the stage for a keenly watched political contest.
Currently, Odisha is represented in the Upper House by seven BJD members and three BJP members. The terms of BJP MPs Sujit Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, along with BJD MPs Muzibulla Khan and Niranjan Bisi, will expire on April 2, creating four vacancies.
Based on the present numerical strength of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, the BJP is comfortably placed to secure two Rajya Sabha seats, while the BJD is assured of one. However, the fourth seat has emerged as the focal point of political speculation and is widely expected to witness a closely fought contest.
As per Rajya Sabha election norms, a candidate requires a minimum of 30 votes to secure victory. The BJP currently has 79 MLAs, along with the support of three Independent legislators, while the BJD’s strength stands at 48 following the suspension of two of its MLAs. The Congress holds 14 seats in the Assembly, while the CPI(M) has one MLA.
After accounting for the three assured seats, the BJP is expected to be left with a surplus of 22 votes, while the BJD will have 18 surplus votes. To clinch the fourth seat, the BJP would require the support of at least eight additional MLAs, whereas the BJD would need backing from 12 legislators. With 15 votes at its disposal, including those of the Congress and CPI(M), the Congress is being widely viewed as a potential kingmaker in determining the outcome of the fourth seat.
Political observers note that despite the Congress’s repeated allegations of an understanding between the BJP and the BJD, securing Congress support may not be easy for the regional party this time. Similarly, the BJP’s prospects of garnering BJD support for a third seat also appear uncertain. Nevertheless, sources indicate that, in the name of “state interest,” a strategic adjustment between the BJP and the BJD for the fourth seat cannot be completely ruled out.
Amid these intricate political calculations, one name that has begun to resonate strongly in Odisha’s political and media circles is that of Dr. Pabitra Mohan Samantaray, a noted social activist and senior journalist.
Dr. Samantaray is the Editor-in-Chief of the Odia daily Paryabekhyak and the English daily The Kalinga Chronicle Group. He currently serves as the National President of the Rashtriya Patrakar Mahasangh (RPM), the National Media Confederation (NMC), and the Indian Federation of Small & Medium Newspapers (IFSMN), New Delhi.
In his role as a national media leader, Dr. Samantaray has consistently championed issues related to the welfare, rights, and professional security of journalists and media institutions. His sustained advocacy has drawn the attention of the Central Government on multiple occasions, contributing to discussions aimed at policy-level reforms in the media sector.
Dr. Samantaray is also the Chairman of the Vedic International Foundation and the Maharishi International Gyan Foundation. For over four decades, he has been actively engaged in the revival and global promotion of Vedic knowledge, Indian traditions, yoga, and meditation. He has been instrumental in establishing numerous institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, Vedic Vigyan Vidyapeeths, and yoga and meditation centres across the country, including in his home state of Odisha.
Notably, Dr. Samantaray had earlier contested the 2009 Odisha Assembly elections from the Badachana constituency as a BJP candidate. While there has been no official confirmation regarding the party on whose ticket he may contest the Rajya Sabha election, highly placed sources suggest that his candidature has already been finalised, triggering widespread discussion in political and media circles in both Odisha and New Delhi.
As Odisha moves towards a politically sensitive Rajya Sabha election, all eyes are now on the final decision of BJD President and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, whose strategic call in the coming days is expected to play a decisive role in shaping the state’s representation in the Upper House of Parliament.