BJP's Jagannath Pradhan files nomination for Rajya Sabha bypoll from Odisha (Ld)

Bhubaneswar, Aug 21 : Hours after BJP leader Mamata Mohanta filed her nomination, senior party leader Jagannath Pradhan filed his nomination for the by-elections for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Odisha on Wednesday.

He reportedly filed the nomination as an independent candidate.

As many as 10 MLAs of the BJP have reportedly signed in Pradhan's nomination papers as proposers.

However, the party is yet to make any official statement regarding the sudden development.

BJP leader Pradhan had contested the recently concluded elections from the Bhubaneswar Central Assembly seat but lost to Biju Janata Dal's Ananta Narayan Jena by only 37 votes.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP Odisha-in charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, State BJP President Manmohan Samal, among several other leaders were present during the filing of nomination by Mohanta earlier on Wednesday.

Mohanta, a noted social activist and leader of the Kudumi community, belongs to the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha.

The BJP on Tuesday announced Mohanta's candidature for the by-elections for lone Rajya Sabha seat in Odisha.

The seat in Odisha has been lying vacant after Mohanta resigned from the membership of the Upper House on July 31, two years before the end of her term in Rajya Sabha.

The BJP leader also tendered her resignation from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal on the same day. She later joined BJP at the party's headquarters in New Delhi on August 1.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature for the bypoll is August 27. The poll is scheduled to be held on September 3.