No candidate withdraws from Odisha RS poll race, stage set for contest after 12 years

BHUBANESWAR: (Mar 10) No candidate withdrew from the race for the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha on the last day for withdrawal of nominations on Monday, leaving five nominees in the fray for four seats and setting the stage for a contest after a gap of 12 years, officials said.

The candidates in the fray are Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar of the BJP, Santrupt Misra and urologist Datteswar Hota of the BJD, and Independent nominee Dilip Ray.

Voting will be held on March 16 from 9 am to 4 pm, while counting of votes will take place at 5 pm the same day, an official said, adding that the election process will conclude by March 20.