New Delhi, March 16 (NationPress) As the voting process commenced for the biennial elections to fill 37 seats in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), expressed strong optimism about their candidates’ chances of victory.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal conveyed his assurance that the NDA would achieve a majority. He stated, "Given our numerical strength, the NDA will undoubtedly secure a full majority. There is absolutely no doubt about this. The NDA will once again proudly wave its flag with even more vigor in the Rajya Sabha."

In light of accusations regarding bribery attempts directed at Congress MLAs in Odisha, BJD leader Prasanna Acharya remarked to reporters, "All our MLAs adhere to the decisions made by the party. Today, they will vote in accordance with that. We have complete faith in our MLAs."

It's worth noting that the BJD had issued a whip on Sunday, instructing suspended MLAs Sanatan Mahakud and Arvind Mohapatra to vote for the party's designated candidate. In individual letters, Chief Whip Pramila Mallik emphasized that despite their suspension due to alleged anti-party activities, both legislators are constitutionally obliged to comply with the party's directives as they were elected under the BJD banner.

In response to BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik’s previous claims of horse-trading involving the BJP, Acharya stated, "We firmly believe that there should be some principles governing politics. If major political parties in India, who advocate for ethics and principles daily, act contrary to those, then may God preserve our democracy."

Acharya expressed confidence in the election outcomes for both BJD candidates, stating, "We are assured of our success as we operate within the framework of rules, ethics, and principles."

BJD MLA Sunil Kumar Mohanty added, "It is certainly a privilege for us that all the MLAs are casting their votes for our first Rajya Sabha candidate. We are excited and hopeful for a positive outcome for our party."

Conversely, BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy remarked, "The moment the Rajya Sabha notification was released, I asserted that the people of Odisha would be pleased, while the Opposition would be astonished by the final results."

Additionally, Babulal Marandi, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, expressed confidence in the electoral prospects of BJP National President Nitin Nabin and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, stating, "I extend my congratulations to both of them in advance."