By registering a big victory in the Nuapada bypoll in Odisha, the ruling BJP did not just increase its tally by one seat in the state Assembly, but the mandate was also seen as an endorsement of the popularity of its 17-month-old government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The BJP’s candidate in the Nuapada seat, Jay Dholakia, defeated the Congress’s nominee Ghasiram Majhi by 83,748 votes with the principal Opposition BJD’s Snehangini Chhuria finishing third. While Jay secured 1,23,869 votes, Ghasiram and Chhuria got 40,121 and 38,408 votes, respectively.
Jay surpassed the victory margin of his father and ex-BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia from the seat in the 2024 Assembly election, whose death necessitated the bypoll.
In Odisha’s changed political scenario, the Nuapada bypoll was one of the most closely-watched contests marked with political significance.
As the bypoll was seen as a verdict on the BJP government’s performance, its outcome has boosted CM Majhi’s standing in state politics as he led the party’s campaign from the front – from revising strategy to addressing massive rallies and drawing crowds to his roadshows.
“The significance of the Nuapada verdict goes beyond the bypoll itself. It would strengthen Mohan Majhi’s influence in Odisha politics as the BJP’s move to pick him to lead its government after coming to power was questioned by various quarters,” said a senior party leader.
Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal said the party’s resounding win in Nuapada was a “clear signal that people are happy with the corruption-free, welfare and service-oriented Majhi government”.
“This victory also reflects peoples’ faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development agenda. The result will inspire us to rededicate ourselves to the service of the people,” said Samal.
The Nuapada outcome has also jolted the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD as it was the party’s first electoral fight since June last year, when it lost power after ruling the state for 24 years under Chief Minister Patnaik.
For the BJD, the bypoll provided a platform not just to defend its bastion, but it was also seen as a test of Patnaik’s current influence. While the party had initially planned to field Jay as its candidate in Nuapada, it was blindsided by his switch to the BJP in the run-up to the bypoll, which gave him its ticket.
Struggling to find a candidate from the Nuapada district, the BJD fielded its woman leader and former minister from western Odisha, Snehangini Chhuria, who was dubbed an “outsider” in the constituency.
Despite his health issues, Patnaik, 79, canvassed for Chhuria actively, holding meetings and roadshows across Nuapada.
During his campaign, Patnaik even accused the BJP of “vote chori” and “candidate chori” and alleged it was a “betrayal” to him and his party.
The BJD had deployed over 60 party leaders in different segments of the constituency to campaign for Chhuria.
“The BJD leaders should have measured well the party’s winning prospects and mood of the people before taking Naveen babu for the bypoll campaign. The party’s humiliating defeat despite Patnaik campaigning twice in Nuapada will be portrayed by the BJP as his declining impact, which is not a good sign for us,” said a party leader.
The BJP succeeded in its plan to keep the BJD’s vote share below 25% to send a signal that Patnaik’s influence was “waning” while the former was “gaining” the trust of the people, he said.
On the BJD’s loss, party leader Debi Prasad Mishra accused the BJP of “misusing” the government machinery to win the seat.
For the Congress, it was the first election under the leadership of new state party chief Bhakta Charan Das, who is from the neighbouring Kalahandi district. As the Congress fielded popular tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi, who had finished second in the seat in the 2024 Assembly election while contesting as an Independent, Bhakta Charan also campaigned vigorously for him. Ghasiram again finished as the runner-up, but got 10,800 votes lesser than his 2024 tally.