Jay Dholakia takes oath as Nuapada MLA, BJP’s strength rises to 79 in Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar, Nov 20 (PTI) BJP leader Jay Dholakia on Thursday took oath as a member of Odisha Legislative Assembly, increasing the ruling saffron party’s strength to 79 in the 147-member House.

Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy administered the oath of office to Dholakia in the presence of senior leaders.

His mother, Kalpana Dholakia, and other family members were also present.

Dholakia was elected to the Assembly from Nuapada constituency in the November 11 bypoll necessitated by the death of his father and sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8.

He defeated Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi by a margin of 83,748 votes.

BJD nominee Snehangini Chhuria finished third in the bypoll, the results of which were declared on November 14.

With Dholakia’s induction, the BJP’s tally in the Assembly has risen to 79, while the BJD’s count has come down to 50.

The Congress has 14 MLAs, three are Independents, and one belongs to the CPI(M).

Winning the Nuapada bypoll is seen as an endorsement of the 17-month-old government headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Jay’s victory has also reestablished the Dholakia family’s legacy in Nuapada. His father Rajendra Dholakia was elected to the Assembly four times in 2000, 2009, 2019 and 2024.

Though he won the first election in 2000 as an Independent candidate, Rajendra was elected three times on a BJD ticket.

However, Jay switched over to the BJP ahead of the bypoll. PTI AAM AAM MNB