New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duopoly has turned to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to fill two nominated Rajya Sabha members' posts, while picking doyens from the world of art and culture for the remaining two vacancies.

Rakesh Sinha, a defender of the Sangh ideology on television talk shows, and Ram Shakal, a pracharak who was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice in the1990s, were nominated on Saturday.

The other two are the Padma Vibhushan Odissi dancer, Sonal Mansingh, and Odisha sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra.

If the nominations give the Sangh a more direct voice in the Upper House, they also reflect the BJP's focus on Odisha, where it is striving to make big electoral inroads.

As the general election draws near, the BJP is hoping to make up for possible losses in its northern and western strongholds with gains in the east.

Shakal, a Dalit, represented the Robertsganj parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh from 1996 till 2004. His presence in the Upper House will help the Sangh-BJP counter the charge of being an upper caste set-up at a time the Dalits are up in arms against the parivar.

Sinha, a professor at Delhi University's Motilal Nehru College, had soldiered on for the Sangh when it was not fashionable to do so. He heads the Sangh-backed think tank India Policy Foundation and is a member of the Indian Council of Social Science Research.

Mansingh, a celebrated Bharatnatyam and Odissi dancer, has for years been a cultural ambassador for India with her performances across the world.

She set up the Centre for Indian Classical Dances in Delhi in 1977, and was appointed chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2004.

Mohapatra had contested the Rajya Sabha elections in 2014 as an Independent backed by the BJD but lost to the Congress.

His famous works include a six-foot-high statue of the Sun God, carved in grey sandstone, in Parliament's Central Hall and a Wooden Buddha at the Buddha Temple in Paris. He wants to build a second Sun Temple in Odisha, home to Konark. Mohapatra is the first Odia to be find a berth in the Upper House under the nomination category.

Mansingh, who was married to noted diplomat Lalit Mansingh, will represent Odissi dance community in the Rajya Sabha.

Mohapatra thanked Lord Jagannath and said: "It's an honour not only to me, but for the entire state. I will take up the issues relating to different temples and architecture in Parliament."

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the two and tweeted: "Congratulate eminent sculptor & Padma Bibhusan awardee Raghunath Mohapatra and acclaimed Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh for nomination to Rajya Sabha. My gratitude to President Dr Ramanth Kovind @rashtrapatibhvn for nomination of two members from Odishan art and culture."

Odissi danceuse Aruna Mohanty said: "We are proud that our community will be represented in the Parliament at last. Now, we will have voice. I hope Sonal will play a role in formation of the culture policy."

Odissi Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra said: "Odisha's art and culture with the recognition with the nomination of Mansingh and Mohapatra."