Two ministers, Ananga Udaya Singh Deo are BJD RS nominees

After backing renowned sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra for Rajya Sabha polls, ruling BJD in Odisha today announced three candidates for the February seven elections to the upper house of Parliament, including two state ministers.
The party candidates for three of the four seats falling vacant are Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das, Textiles Minister Sarojini Hembram and former minister Ananga Udaya Singh Deo, BJD said in a statement.
Deo is from the erstwhile royal family of Bolangir.
The party had earlier announced its decision to support Raghunath Mohapatra for the fourth seat.
Elections are scheduled to be held to fill the four Rajya Sabha seats in the state as the terms of Ramachandra Khuntia of Congress, Mangala Kissan and Renubala Pradhan of BJD and Balbir Punj of BJP are coming to an end.

Meanwhile, Congress has decided to field Ranjib Biswal, a former Lok Sabha member for the fourth seat, while BJP is yet to make its position clear.
At present Odisha assembly has 107 BJD members, Congress 27, BJP six and CPI one. There are six independent MLAs in the 147-member house.