This story is from June 25, 2019

BJP, BJD show of unity as Ashwini Vaishnaw files nomination

Leaders of the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP got together to support the latter’s Rajya Sabha candidate — former IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnaw — as he filed his nomination here on Monday for the bypolls of July 5. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has pledged support to Vaishnaw.
BJP, BJD show of unity as Ashwini Vaishnaw files nomination
BJP candidate Ashwini Vaishnaw files his nomination papers in Bhubaneswar (ANI)
BHUBANESWAR: Leaders of the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP got together to support the latter’s Rajya Sabha candidate — former IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnaw — as he filed his nomination here on Monday for the bypolls of July 5. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has pledged support to Vaishnaw.
Amar Patnaik and Sasmit Patra, who are BJD’s nominees for the other two Rajya Sabha seats going to the polls, also filed their papers on Monday in the presence of Naveen.
The chief minister left before Vaishnaw filed his papers but many other BJD leaders stayed back.
Amar was seen chatting with Vaishnaw, with Sasmit sitting next to him. BJD MLAs Prafulla Samal and Rohit Pujari were also present.
While Samal was seen talking to BJP’s Kusum Tete, BJD’s Rohit Pujari was seen exchanging news with BJP’s Jayanarayan Mishra.
The three candidates are expected to be elected unanimously as there are no other contenders for the seats. Tuesday is the last date for filing of papers for the polls.
Sources said Vaishnaw, who served as private secretary to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, filed his nomination for the seat vacated by Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who resigned after being elected to the state assembly. Amar filed his papers for the seat that fell vacant after BJD’s Achyuta Samanta resigned from the Upper House after he was elected to the Lok Sabha. Vaishnaw and Amar will have around five years in the Upper House, till April 2024.

Sasmit entered the fray for the seat vacated by Pratap Keshari Deb, who resigned after getting elected to the assembly. Sasmit’s stint will last for around three years, till July 2022.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Srikant Jena on Monday said BJP and BJD had cheated the people of Odisha by joining hands to nominate a person with links with ‘dubious’ mining companies.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said the BJP-BJD understanding in fielding a common candidate was not a secret. “This was done through open discussion. The move will be in Odisha’s interests. In democracy, such agreements happen,” he said.
Having 112 of the 145 MLAs (the two assembly seats of Bijepur and Patkura are vacant currently), Naveen had the numbers to win all three seats easily.
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