Jay Dholakia, son of the deceased former BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia (right), from the state office of Bharatiya Janata 11 October 2025 | Photo:
In the reversal of the events, the party Bharatiya Janata (BJP) received significant support on Saturday (October 11, 2025) with Jay Dholakia, the son of the later Minister and Biju Janat, Dal (BJD) Dalkia, the leader of Rajendra Dholkia.
BJP is likely to build Jay Dhakia as his candidate in Bypoll, which is to be held on November 14. It was widely speculated that BJD would nominate Mr. Jay to earn a nice factor after his father’s death.
Mr. Jay came to the state office BJP in an impressive parade. The importance of his induction was obvious as the main Minister Mohan Charan Maran, the representative of the main Minister Kv Singha Deo, and the President BJP Manmohan Samal personally welcomed him to the party.
“Former Minister Rajendra Dhakia had many opponents for ideological reasons, but he had no enemies,” said Mr. Majhi, who indicated his son’s candidacy for Bypolls of BJP.
“The upcoming bypoll is the first election test for Saffron Party after its surprising victory in the elections to the assembly of 2024. BJP management is wary of the elections.
Sources said the BJD has developed a common effort to discourage Mr. Jay from switching the parties, due to the strong influence of his family in the NuaPad district, who shares his border with Chhattisgarh. Over the last decade, the regional party consolidated its base around the Dhakia family.
“The situation would be different if the former main minister Naveen Patnaik was still in power. His popularity in itself was enough to ensure victory for many little known candidates,” Das added.
“By the end of Friday evening, Mr. Jay was in contact with us. However, he did not appear this morning,” said BJD’s best leader, who did not want to be named, said.
Mr. Jay’s decision to join the Saffron Party was upset by the political equation in NauraPad. This step allegedly upset Basant Panda, a former deputy and former President of the BJP state, because his son Abhinandan Panda was a candidate for the place. However, the party leader allegedly convinced Mr Panda of the strategic importance of victory in Bypoll and his wider consequences for policy Odisha.
While both BJP and BJD, which still have to announce their candidates for Bypoll, Congress said Ghasiram Majhi as his candidate.
Published – October 11, 2025 23:11
