Odisha: Nuapada Bypoll to Coincide With Bihar Elections, Parties Gear Up for Triangular Contest

Bhubaneswar: The by-election to the Nuapada Assembly seat, lying vacant following the recent death of sitting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Rajendra Dholakia, is likely to be held alongside the Bihar polls, setting the stage for a high-stakes triangular contest in Odisha’s western belt.

On Sunday, all three major political parties—the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition BJD, and the Congress—exuded confidence in their prospects, underscoring the significance of the bypoll beyond district boundaries.

BJP state president Manmohan Samal said the party was banking on the Majhi government’s performance in the past 15 months. “Odisha has witnessed rapid progress in industries, agriculture, and social sectors. People will vote for development,” he asserted.

The BJD, determined to retain the seat under the leadership of its president, Naveen Patnaik, invoked the late MLA’s popularity. “Rajendra Dholakia was deeply loved by the people. His legacy of good work will ensure our victory,” said senior leader Pramila Mallick. Sources indicated the party may field a family member of Dholakia to draw on the sympathy factor.

Meanwhile, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das expressed optimism that a consolidated voter base would tilt the scales in his party’s favour. “In 2024, our votes were divided between the official candidate and a rebel. This time, we are united and confident of victory,” he said, hinting strongly at the possible nomination of Ghasiram Majhi, who secured over 50,000 votes as an independent in the last election.

In 2024, Dholakia had secured 61,822 votes to win the seat, while the BJP’s Abhinandan Panda polled 44,814, and Congress finished a distant third, split between Majhi (50,941) and the official candidate Sarat Pattanayak (15,501).

Political observers see the Nuapada bypoll as more than just a constituency battle. Its outcome, they say, will serve as a litmus test for Odisha’s major political players ahead of the 2027 panchayat and urban body elections, which in turn will shape the larger contest for power in the 2029 Assembly polls.