BHUBANESWAR: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday strongly disapproved of the Nuapada by-election outcome—where the party slipped to the third position behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress—and alleged that the ruling party had blatantly misused state machinery to influence the results. The regional party charged the Election Commission of India (ECI) with failing to ensure a free and fair electoral process and claimed that widespread rigging took place in the constituency.
The BJP, for its part, dismissed the accusations outright, terming them baseless and an excuse crafted by a losing party to cover up its poor performance at the ballot box.
The by-poll was necessitated following the death of the sitting BJD MLA, who had represented Nuapada constituency for the party. In the run-up to the election, political circles widely believed that his son, Jay Dholakia, would be fielded as the BJD’s natural choice to retain the seat. However, in a surprising twist that caught the party’s rank and file off guard, Dholakia defected to the BJP and became its nominee. This unexpected political crossover not only caused embarrassment within the BJD but also altered the equations on the ground.
With Dholakia switching camps, the BJD scrambled to re-strategize and eventually selected Snehangini Chhuria, the head of its women’s wing, as its candidate. The party hoped that her organisational experience, grassroots connectivity, and familiarity with the electorate would help it counter the narrative shift created by Dholakia’s departure. But despite its efforts, the BJD could not regain the lost momentum and ended up finishing in third place—a result that triggered strong reactions from its leadership.
Soon after the vote count concluded, senior BJD leaders launched a frontal attack on the BJP, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating a “pre-planned pattern of manipulation” across several polling stations. According to the BJD, its polling agents were obstructed, voters were influenced through intimidation, and the administration failed to intervene when irregularities were reported. The party also alleged that the ECI did not adequately respond to its complaints filed during the polling day.
A spokesperson for the BJD argued that the election was compromised at multiple levels. “This is not a setback caused by voter choice—it is the result of an election hijacked through misuse of power and deliberate inaction by authorities who were supposed to maintain neutrality,” the spokesperson said, reiterating the demand for a thorough investigation.
The BJP responded firmly, rejecting every allegation as false and politically motivated. A BJP leader stated that the people of Nuapada had clearly voted for change and rewarded the party for its development promises and strong local connect. “The BJD is unable to accept the verdict of the people. Their accusations are nothing but frustration after being rejected by the electorate,” the BJP leader said.
Political analysts observing the by-poll noted that the emotional impact of the late MLA’s legacy, the sympathy factor associated with his family, and the direct transfer of his son to the BJP created a unique electoral environment. This shift may have weakened the BJD’s organisational base in the region more than the party anticipated. Additionally, the Congress managing to outperform the BJD indicated that opposition support against the ruling BJP got divided in unexpected ways.
The Nuapada by-election, though limited to a single constituency, has now sparked a broader debate in Odisha’s political circles. The BJD’s accusations and its demand for scrutiny of the election process are expected to keep the issue alive for the coming weeks. For the BJP, the victory is a morale booster, while for the BJD, the contest has turned into both a political and organisational setback.
