TNI Bureau: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved a major political milestone in the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections from Odisha, winning three out of four seats from the state. The result marks a significant moment in Odisha’s parliamentary politics and reflects the party’s growing dominance after forming the government in the state.

The BJP candidates who secured victory are Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar, and veteran leader Dilip Ray, while the remaining seat went to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Dr. Santrupt Mishra. Dilip Ray’s victory is particularly noteworthy as it marks his return to the Rajya Sabha after nearly 24 years, making the result even more politically significant.

The outcome was shaped largely by the numbers in the 147-member Odisha Legislative Assembly, where the BJP holds 79 MLAs along with support from three Independents, giving it a comfortable majority. Each Rajya Sabha candidate required about 30 first-preference votes, enabling the BJP to strategically secure three seats. At least 11 MLAs – 8 from BJD and 3 from Congress, went against their parties’ directive and cross-voted.

For the BJP, the victory goes beyond parliamentary arithmetic. It signals the party’s expanding political footprint in Odisha, a state that had long been dominated by the BJD under Naveen Patnaik. The result also strengthens the BJP’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha, giving it greater influence in national legislative politics.

Politically, the 3-out-of-4 sweep is being viewed as a major boost for the BJP organisation in Odisha and a sign that the state’s political landscape is undergoing a clear shift.