Amit Shah meets Odisha BJP MLAs ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, focus on winning three seats

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday held an important strategy meeting with BJP legislators and Rajya Sabha candidates in Bhubaneswar , as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2026 Rajya Sabha Elections in Odisha scheduled for March 16.

Shah, who was on a day-long visit to Odisha , attended several official programmes before heading to the BJP’s state headquarters in the evening. There he met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi , party MPs, ministers, MLAs and the candidates contesting the upcoming Upper House polls.

The BJP has officially nominated state party president Manmohan Samal and Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar for the elections. The party is also backing former Union minister Dilip Ray , who is contesting as an Independent candidate.

While party leaders described the meeting as an organisational review, several participants indicated that the Rajya Sabha elections formed a key part of the discussions. MLAs were reportedly urged to ensure victory for all three candidates backed by the BJP.

The political arithmetic in the Odisha Assembly makes the contest particularly interesting. A candidate requires at least 30 first preference votes to secure a Rajya Sabha seat. The BJP currently has 79 MLAs and support from three Independents , taking its effective strength to 82 , which is still short of the 90 votes needed to comfortably elect three candidates .

The opposition Biju Janata Dal led by former chief minister Naveen Patnaik holds 48 MLAs . After securing one seat, it would still need additional support to win a second.

In a surprise move, Patnaik has fielded noted urologist Dr Datteswar Hota as a common candidate for the fourth seat and appealed to all parties for support. The Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) have already extended backing to Hota, while the BJP has thrown its weight behind Dilip Ray.

With no party having clear numbers for the fourth seat, the Rajya Sabha contest in Odisha is shaping up to be a closely watched political battle.