Bhubaneswar: Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Saturday named its candidates for the Rajya Sabha by-elections for two seats from the state.
BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that former minister A.U. Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh will be the party candidates for the July 3 elections.
The by-polls were necessitated following the election of party leaders Sashi Bhushan Behera and Rabinarayan Mohapatra to the state assembly.
The BJD is set to retain both the seats on its own strength.
A U Singhdeo , a close friend of state Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, is an MLA from Bolangir constituency. Both Singhdeo and Naveen Patnaik were classmates in Doon School, Dehradun.
Bhupinder Singh who was leader of opposition in Orissa legislative assembly along with Congress legislature party secretary Anup Sai had joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal on March 8 this year just before general elections.
