Former Biju Janata Dal MP Debashish Samantaray has filed his nomination papers as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election in Odisha. He recently joined the BJP after leaving the BJD. Samantaray's election is expected to be unopposed given the BJP's majority in the state assembly. This move follows similar transitions by other former BJD Rajya Sabha members to the BJP.