A day after the ruling BJP held a rally in Nuapada, the Opposition BJD Sunday organised a padayatra ahead of its candidate Snehangini Chhuria filing her nomination for the forthcoming bypoll in the Nuapada Assembly segment.
Though the Congress has accused the BJD of having a “deal” with the BJP, the rally demonstrated a full-scale campaign by the regional party to retain its stronghold.
Nuapada constituency had long been held by the BJD headed by Naveen Patnaik since 2009, apart from a brief disruption in 2014 when the BJP’s Basant Panda won.
The Nuapada bypoll was necessitated after the death of four-time local MLA and ex-minister Rajendra Dholakia September 8.
His son’s switch to the BJP prompted the BJD to nominate Chhuria, a former Baragarh legislator, to contest the seat. She will