Bhubaneswar: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sujeet Kumar, on Tuesday, claimed that the party is likely to field Jay Dholakia, son of former Odisha Minister and late Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Rajendra Dholakia, as its candidate for the upcoming bye-election in the Nuapada Assembly constituency.
Speaking to media persons here, the BJP MP said that the party may announce his name as its candidate by Tuesday evening.
He also added that the nominations will be filed by Dholakia on October 16.
“I, along with Ministers, MLAs, and MPs of the party, will definitely camp in Nuapada and take part in the campaign, which will be led by the Chief Minister himself. On October 16, a grand joining programme will be organised in Nuapada, where more than 2,000 workers and leaders from the BJD and Congress will join the BJP, reposing their faith in the leadership and policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. We will file the nominations on the same day,” Kumar said.
He also added that more than 40,000 workers and supporters of the BJP will attend the rally in Nuapada on October 16.
Chief Minister Majhi, Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal and other senior party leaders will remain present there.
Responding to a query on the discontent among the BJP cadres over Dholakia’s candidature, Kumar said there are no differences within the party and that all members have resolved to work unitedly for the party’s victory.
He exuded confidence that the BJP would win the bye-election by a margin of more than 50,000 votes.
The Election Commission of India, on Monday, issued the gazette notification for the bypolls to the Nuapada Assembly constituency, which outlines the election schedule.
The Nuapada Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of Rajendra Dholakia on September 8.
The process of filing nominations started on Monday while the candidates can submit their nominations until October 20, which is the last date for filing.
The scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on October 22, and candidates can withdraw their candidature by October 24.
The bye-election for the Nuapada Assembly seat is scheduled to be held on November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
Meanwhile, the Congress has named veteran tribal leader Balabhadra Majhi as its candidate for the Nuapada bye-election while the BJP and BJD are yet to announce the names of their candidates.
(IANS)
