Campaigning Ends for Nuapada Bypoll, Silence Period Begins

Bhubaneswar: Campaigning for the high-stakes Nuapada Assembly bypoll in Odisha concluded on Saturday, with the mandatory 48-hour silence period coming into effect from 4 PM, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) RS Gopalan announced.

“Electioneering for the Nuapada by-election came to an end today, and the 48-hour silence period is now in force,” said Gopalan. He added that political leaders and party workers who had gathered in Nuapada to campaign for their candidates have now left the constituency in compliance with the Election Commission’s directives.

The CEO informed that adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure smooth polling on November 11. “Central security forces have been deployed at all polling stations, and 47 booths have been identified as sensitive,” he said.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8, 2024. Dholakia, a four-time legislator from the Nuapada seat since 2004, had defeated independent candidate Ghasiram Majhi by around 11,000 votes in the 2024 Assembly elections. Dholakia secured 61,822 votes, while Majhi polled 50,941 votes. BJP candidate Abhinandan Panda, son of former MP Basanta Panda, finished third with 44,814 votes, and Congress candidate Sarat Patnaik came fourth with 15,501 votes.

This time, 14 candidates, including eight independents, are contesting the bypoll. The BJP has fielded Jay Dholakia, son of the late MLA Rajendra Dholakia, while the BJD has nominated former minister Snehangini Chhuria. The Congress has chosen tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate.

The campaign saw high-voltage participation from top leaders across party lines. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, and BJP state president Manmohan Samal campaigned for Jay Dholakia.

On the other hand, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik led the campaign for BJD nominee Snehangini Chhuria, while OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das and senior leaders Niranjan Patnaik, Srikanta Jena, and Jaydev Jena campaigned for Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi.

Polling will be held on November 11, and votes will be counted on November 14.