Nuapada: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday launched a sharp attack on the ruling BJP, accusing it of cheating people with false promises and betraying the trust of Odisha.
Campaigning for BJD candidate Snehangini Chhuria in the Nuapada by-election, Patnaik said the BJP may have formed a government through “lies and deceit” but can never “win the hearts of the people.”
“They can form a government by telling lies, making false promises, and indulging in candidate ‘chori’ (poaching), but they cannot win the hearts of the people of Nuapada,” Patnaik told a massive crowd at Nuapada.
Patnaik’s campaign schedule was disrupted after a delay in flight clearance from the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar.
While his chartered flight was reportedly delayed by around 25 minutes due to traffic clearance issues, BJD leaders alleged it was an intentional delay aimed at derailing Patnaik’s roadshows in Komna and Nuapada.
BJD youth wing president Chinmay Sahoo claimed the flight was delayed by over 70 minutes, calling it a “deliberate attempt” to hinder the BJD president’s programme.
However, BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan clarified that the delay was procedural, as the pilot had not submitted all required documents for clearance.
During his speech, Patnaik accused the BJP of creating obstacles in his earlier meeting at Komna on November 3. “They tried to stop people from attending my rally, but failed,” he said, thanking the crowd for their support.
He paid tribute to late MLA Rajendra Dholakia, whose passing necessitated the by-election, and reminded the gathering that Nuapada district was created under Biju Patnaik’s leadership. He said the district saw visible development only under the BJD government.
Taking a swipe at the BJP government, which completed 500 days in office, Patnaik asked,
“Have you received 300 units of free electricity, ₹3,500 pension, fertiliser on time, jobs for youth, or loans for Mission Shakti women? What did you get? Only dhoka… dhoka and double dhoka (betrayal and double betrayal)”.
He further alleged that under the BJP’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, people were facing “tension instead of treatment,” contrasting it with the BJD’s Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).
Patnaik urged voters to “give a strong reply to betrayal” by voting for Snehangini Chhuria and the Conch symbol on November 11.
The campaign also saw emotional undertones after Patnaik used the word “beimani” (betrayal), referring to the late MLA’s son Jay Dholakia, who defected from the BJD to contest as a BJP candidate.
In response, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, speaking at a press conference alongside Kalpana Dholakia (Rajendra Dholakia’s widow), said Patnaik’s remarks had “hurt the sentiments of the bereaved family.”
Patra alleged that the BJD had neglected the Dholakia family during the late MLA’s illness, failing to pay his air ambulance bill despite promising help. “Raju Bhai was not given the respect he deserved,” Patra said.
The Nuapada bypoll, scheduled for November 11, was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8.
