Bhubaneswar: On Friday, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) unveiled a roster of 40 star campaigners for the upcoming by-election in the Nuapada Assembly constituency, set for November 11. The lineup features party leader and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, alongside senior figures such as Prasanna Acharya, Debi Prasad Mishra, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Pranab Prakash Das, and Arun Sahoo, among others. The BJD had previously announced over 50 senior leaders on Thursday who will lead the campaign and manage the overall electoral strategy for the Nuapada by-poll, with specific responsibilities assigned to different blocks and Notified Area Councils (NACs) across the district.
Eighteen senior leaders have been designated to oversee the Nuapada and Komna blocks, while another eight leaders are charged with leading the campaign in Nuapada and Khariar Road NACs for the party’s candidate. Notably, BJD president Naveen Patnaik announced on Wednesday that veteran leader and former minister Snehangini Chhuria will be the party’s candidate for the Nuapada Assembly by-election. In contrast, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also released a list of 40 senior leaders on Thursday to campaign for its candidate, Jay Dholakia, during the by-election.
This list includes Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and BJP leader Jual Oram, as well as party organisational in-charge Sunil Bansal, Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, co-in-charge Lata Usendi, and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal. Additionally, various State ministers, MPs, and MLAs from the BJP will campaign in support of Dholakia. The contest for the Nuapada Assembly seat is intensifying with the announcement of candidates from the ruling BJP, the primary opposition BJD, and the Congress. The Nuapada by-poll is viewed as a crucial test for the ruling BJP, marking its first election since taking power in Odisha.