Nuapada By-Poll: BJP Candidate Jay Dholakia Accuses Naveen Patnaik of Hypocrisy

Bhubaneswar: In a sharp political turn ahead of the Nuapada by-poll, BJP candidate Jay Dholakia, son of late BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, has launched a scathing attack on BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of hypocrisy and insensitivity.

Dholakia, who recently switched allegiance from the BJD to the BJP, alleged that despite sharing a close bond with his late father, neither Naveen Patnaik nor any senior BJD leader reached out to his family during his father’s illness or after his passing.

“Naveen Patnaik had a very close rapport with my father, and I always considered him a father figure. But when my father was in the hospital fighting for his life, no one from the BJD even made a phone call or visited him. Even after his demise, they skipped the condolence meeting. Now, a month later, they are coming to Nuapada only for election campaigning,” Dholakia said.

He further alleged that the BJD leadership failed to acknowledge his father’s decades-long contribution to the party.

“My father gave his hundred per cent to the party, but they didn’t even show one per cent of that dedication in return,” he remarked.

Dholakia’s remarks came in response to Naveen Patnaik’s recent speech during a campaign in Nuapada on Monday, where the BJD chief accused the BJP of betraying public trust and resorting to “candidate chori” after “vote chori.” Patnaik’s comments were seen as a direct jibe at Dholakia’s defection from the BJD to the BJP.

The by-poll in Nuapada is shaping up to be an intense political battle, with emotional undertones and personal allegations adding fuel to the already heated campaign.