Patnaik congratulates BJP's Dholakia for Nuapada bypoll win, says BJD's fight will continue

Bhubaneswar, Nov 14 (PTI) BJD president and Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Friday congratulated BJP candidate Jay Dholakia for his spectacular victory in the Nuapada bypoll and hoped that he would bring development to the area.

Dholakia won the Nuapada assembly bypoll in Odisha by 83,748 votes on Friday. The Congress bagged the second spot, while the BJD was relegated to the third position.

Patnaik, who campaigned for BJD candidate Snehangini Chhuria, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to every worker and supporter of BJD who stood united and worked tirelessly for the party.

"Your commitment and spirit are the true strength of our party," the former chief minister said.

"I also extend my congratulations to the BJP candidate on the victory, and I sincerely hope he will honour this mandate by bringing meaningful development to Nuapada," he said in a post on social media.

BJP candidate Jay Dholakia, son of late BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, joined the saffron party a few days before the elections and won the seat.

Noting that elections come and go, but the BJD's values and our respect for people's faith must always remain, Patnaik said that it is responsibility of our institutions to uphold our democratic right of free and fair elections.

"BJD has lived through many highs and lows, yet our resolve to fight for the people has remained unbreakable, and it will continue to remain so," he said, adding that the regional outfit is inspired by Biju Babu, the fighter.

"Our fight for the rights of people of #Odisha will continue. I once again thank the Nuapada people who voted for BJD and the party workers who worked very hard for this byelection," Patnaik said.

The Nuapada bypoll has come as a major setback for the regional outfit as its candidate could secure only 18.06 per cent of the votes against 33.65 per cent in the 2024 Assembly election.

BJP, on the other hand which was in third place in the 2024 polls by getting 24.39 per cent, in the bypoll secured 58.27 per cent votes. Congress also raised its vote share from 8.44 per cent in 2024 to 18.88 per cent in the bypoll whose results were announced on Friday. PTI AAM AAM RG