Wed Oct 15 09:54:10 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**BJP Fields Jay Dholakia in Nuapada Bypoll, Setting Stage for Key Electoral Battle**

**Bhubaneswar, October 15, 2025** – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Jay Dholakia as its candidate for the upcoming Nuapada Assembly by-election, triggered by the death of his father, the late Rajendra Dholakia, a veteran leader formerly of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Dholakia’s candidacy, announced by the BJP’s central election committee on Wednesday, comes just a week after his surprising defection from the BJD to the saffron party.

Chief Minister Mohan Majhi is expected to join Dholakia during the filing of his nomination for the bypoll, slated for November 14th. The Congress party has already named Ghasiram Majhi as their candidate, setting the stage for a three-way contest.

Rajendra Dholakia, a four-time representative of Nuapada and a former minister in the Naveen Patnaik government, held a significant political presence in the western Odisha district. His passing leaves a void that this by-election aims to fill.

The Nuapada by-election is crucial for all major political players. It marks the first electoral test for Chief Minister Majhi following the BJP’s unexpected victory in the 2024 Assembly elections. For the BJD, the election signals Naveen Patnaik’s return to active campaigning as Leader of the Opposition after a 24-year tenure as Chief Minister. The Congress party views the seat as vital, given its location within the Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency, a long-held political stronghold of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das.

The BJD is currently searching for a suitable candidate after Jay Dholakia’s departure.

Nuapada, bordering Chhattisgarh, is a predominantly rural constituency experiencing increasing urbanization in its twin towns of Nuapada and Khariar Road. In recognition of this growth, Khariar Road was recently declared a municipality. However, the region’s hinterland remains home to many seasonal migrant laborers who seek work in brick kilns in other states.

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