Bhubaneswar, Dec 13 (PTI) BJP candidate Sujeet Kumar was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha on Friday, officials said.

Kumar was a BJD MP but quit the party and gave up his membership of the Rajya Sabha in September to join the BJP, forcing the by-election in the seat. The BJP nominated him for the by-election, which he won unopposed.

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"I will work with full dedication for the people of Kalahandi district and the state. I have the experience in Rajya Sabha," he told reporters after being handed the certificate of election at the Odisha assembly.

In July, Kumar's colleague Mamata Mohanta had done the same by giving up her Rajya Sabha membership as a BJD MP to join the BJP, and then return to the House after forcing a by-election.

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With the election of Kumar, BJP's strength in Rajya Sabha from Odisha increased to three. The third MP is Railway, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The opposition BJD holds the other seven Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)