Bhubaneswar, Dec 9 (IANS): The BJP leader Sujeet Kumar on Monday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha byelection on Monday.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP state unit chief Manmohan Samal, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo and other senior leaders were present during the filing of the nomination by Kumar on Monday.

Speaking to media persons after the filing of the nomination, Kumar thanked all the party leadership and the BJP parliamentary board for nominating as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat. He also informed the media persons about filing two sets of nomination papers.

“All efforts I have put in for Odisha, especially KBK region and Kalahandi district in parliament during the last four and half years is in the public domain. I will continue my efforts towards making the Kalahandi and the KBK region a prosperous region utilising its potential in agriculture-based industry, transportation, infrastructure, and tourism sectors with guidance from senior party leaders,” stated Kumar.

Earlier, the BJP’s Central Election Committee on Monday declared Sujit Kumar's name for the sole Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha.

“I thank the Central leadership and state leadership of BJP for considering me worthy enough for Rajya Sabha by-election,” Kumar told IANS.

The seat from Odisha has been lying vacant following the resignation of Kumar on September 6 this year. Kumar, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2020 on a Biju Janata Dal ticket, resigned from the upper house two years before the end of his tenure.

Within minutes after resigning from the membership of Rajya Sabha, the former BJD leader Sujeet Kumar joined the BJP at the party headquarters in New Delhi. He joined the BJP in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha In-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahatab etc.

He also subsequently tendered his resignation from the Biju Janata Dal on the same day.