Four candidates in fray for RS elections in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Mar 18 (UNI) Altogether four candidates, including two sitting Rajya Sabha MPs, are in the fray for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha scheduled to be held here on March 28.

The Returning Officer today rejected the nomination of Independent candidate Binod Kumar Mishra during scrutiny as his nomination paper was submitted without any proposer.

The four members in the fray for as many seat are Mr Baijant Panda(BJD), Mr Rudra Narayan Pani ard Mr Bhagirathi Majhi(BJP) and Ms Sushila Tiriya (Congress).

With the four candidates in the fray the elections are unlikely to be held on March 28. However, a declaration in this regard would be announced only after the date of withdrawal on March 20 next.

Among the four candidates, Mr Panda(BJD) and Mr Pani (BJP) were presently the Rajya Sabha members whose terms would expire.

UNI DP BA/src1722