Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Jay Dholakia, the son of late BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, as its candidate for the upcoming Nuapada by-election. This development comes after Jay’s recent joining of the BJP, marking a significant shift in the constituency’s political landscape.
The BJP’s central election committee has cleared Jay Dholakia’s name, and he is scheduled to file nominations in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal.
Jay Dholakia paid a courtesy visit to former state BJP president Basanta Panda to seek his blessings. He also met with local leaders, including NAC Khariar chairperson Sonia Jain, to consolidate support from party workers and ensure unity within the local BJP unit, paving the way for his potential candidacy in the Nuapada by-election.
Going by the ECI notification, candidates can submit their nominations until October 20, which is the last date for filing. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on October 22, and candidates can withdraw their candidature by October 24. The by-election for the Nuapada seat is scheduled to be held on November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
The Election Commission of India has also made it clear that the entire election process will be completed by November 16.
