Opposition BJD Sunday rejected Odisha’s Nuapada bypoll results in which the party finished third after the BJP and the Congress, and charged the ECI with failing to prevent “rigging” by the ruling party.

The BJP denied the allegations.

The Nuapada constituency was held by the BJD, and its MLA’s death necessitated the bypoll. The deceased’s son Jay Dholakia was tipped to be the party candidate, but he joined the BJP and became its candidate, leaving the BJD red-faced. It then fielded the party’s women’s wing chief Snehangini Chhuria.

“I completely reject the Nuapada bypoll results and condemn the ECI and the district administration for failing to conduct a free and fair election,” Chhuria said at a press conference at Sankha Bhawan, the state headquarters of the BJD.

While BJP candidate

See Full Page