Former minister is BJD nominee

RAJYA SABHA POLL

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday declared Pratap Deb, a former minister and erstwhile royal family member, as the party’s candidate for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from the state.

The CM announced that former finance minister Pradip Amat will be the Speaker.

Deb, 47, is currently chairman of the Odisha State Housing Board. He was minister for technical education and training and information technology in the Patnaik ministry between 2009 and 2014. He lost the 2014 Assembly election from Aul constituency of Kendrapara.

The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant following the resignation of Bishnu Charan Das on March 21. The poll is slated for May 25. ENS