<p>Bhubaneswar: BJP candidate Sujeet Kumar was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha on Friday, officials said.</p><p>Kumar was a BJD MP but quit the party and gave up his membership of the Rajya Sabha in September to join the BJP, forcing the by-election in the seat. The BJP nominated him for the by-election, which he won unopposed.</p><p>"I will work with full dedication for the people of Kalahandi district and the state. I have the experience in Rajya Sabha," he told reporters after being handed the certificate of election at the Odisha assembly.</p>.Ex-NCW chief and BJP nominee Rekha Sharma elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha.<p>In July, Kumar's colleague Mamata Mohanta had done the same by giving up her Rajya Sabha membership as a BJD MP to join the BJP, and then return to the House after forcing a by-election.</p><p>With the election of Kumar, BJP's strength in Rajya Sabha from Odisha increased to three. The third MP is Railway, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.</p><p>The opposition BJD holds the other seven Rajya Sabha seats from the state. </p>
<p>Bhubaneswar: BJP candidate Sujeet Kumar was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha on Friday, officials said.</p><p>Kumar was a BJD MP but quit the party and gave up his membership of the Rajya Sabha in September to join the BJP, forcing the by-election in the seat. The BJP nominated him for the by-election, which he won unopposed.</p><p>"I will work with full dedication for the people of Kalahandi district and the state. I have the experience in Rajya Sabha," he told reporters after being handed the certificate of election at the Odisha assembly.</p>.Ex-NCW chief and BJP nominee Rekha Sharma elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha.<p>In July, Kumar's colleague Mamata Mohanta had done the same by giving up her Rajya Sabha membership as a BJD MP to join the BJP, and then return to the House after forcing a by-election.</p><p>With the election of Kumar, BJP's strength in Rajya Sabha from Odisha increased to three. The third MP is Railway, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.</p><p>The opposition BJD holds the other seven Rajya Sabha seats from the state. </p>