Nuapada: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday displayed a strong show of unity in Nuapada ahead of the upcoming by-election, with state BJP president Manmohan Samal leading a large gathering of party leaders and workers at Komna. The event, held a day before the nomination filing of BJP candidate Jay Dholakia, marked the party’s formal entry into campaign mode for the high-stakes bypoll.
Jay Dholakia, son of late BJD MLA and former minister Rajendra Dholakia, was today named as the BJP’s candidate for the Nuapada Assembly seat, which fell vacant following his father’s death last month. Jay, who joined the BJP on October 11 after leaving the Biju Janata Dal, is set to file his nomination on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The Chief Minister’s visit is expected to draw thousands of supporters, with the party organising a “Mega Mishran Parba” to mark the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Samal said the massive turnout reflects the growing public confidence in the BJP. “This integration event will be an important milestone in strengthening the BJP in Nuapada district,” he said, urging workers to campaign with unity and discipline.
Support Independent Journalism? Keep us live.
Senior leaders such as Basant Panda, Abhindanan Panda, Prasanna Padhi and Jadumani Panigrahi, who were upset at Jay Dholakia’s induction, stood firm with the party for the greater cause.
Senior leaders, including Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, MP Malavika Devi, former MP Basanta Panda, and district president Kamlesh Dixit, were also present, signalling a united front within the party. The leadership emphasized that Jay Dholakia’s candidature represents both continuity and renewal, as the BJP seeks to connect with the legacy of his late father while consolidating new support.
Meanwhile, Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi signed his nomination papers on Wednesday in the presence of OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, who has been actively canvassing across the constituency. He will officially file the nomination on October 18. The Biju Janata Dal, still recovering from Jay Dholakia’s defection, named former Attabira MLA, Ex Minister and party’s Women Wing President Snehangini Chhuria as the candidate – a surprising decision.
The by-election to the Nuapada Assembly seat will be held on November 11, with counting scheduled for November 14. For the BJP, this contest also serves as the first major political test for Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi since taking office earlier this year.
Comments are closed.