JJOURNALIST AMULYA SAHOO/DAILY INDIATIMES DIGITAL JOURNALISM PLATFORM

Jay Dholakia, son of former BJD Minister, joins BJPThe BJD may have nominated Jay Dholakia to capitalise on the sympathy factor following his father’s death

In a twist of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (October 11, 2025) received a major boost with the joining of Jay Dholakia, son of late minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Rajendra Dholkia, whose demise necessitated the bypoll in Odisha’s Nuapada Assembly constituenc

The BJP is likely to field Jay Dholakia as its candidate in the bypoll, scheduled to take place on November 14. It was widely speculated that the BJD would have nominated Mr. Jay to capitalise on the sympathy factor following his father’s death.

Mr. Jay arrived at the BJP State office here in an impressive procession. The significance of his induction was evident as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister K. V. Singh Deo, and State BJP president Manmohan Samal personally welcomed him into the party fold.Former Minister Rajendra Dholakia had many opponents based on ideological grounds, but he did not have any enemies,” said Mr. Majhi, who hinted at his son’s candidature for the bypolls, from the BJP.“The forthcoming bypoll marks the first electoral test for the saffron party after its surprise victory in the 2024 Assembly elections. The BJP leadership is wary of any upset in the bye-election. If it happens, the current State leadership would be discredited before national leadership,” Rabi Das, a senior journalist and political analyst, said.Sources said the BJD had made concerted efforts to dissuade Mr. Jay from switching sides, given his family’s strong influence in Nuapada district, which shares its border with Chhattisgarh. Over the past decade, the regional party had consolidated its base around the Dholakia family.

The situation would have been different had former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik still been in power. His popularity alone was often enough to ensure victory for many little-known candidates,” Mr. Das added.“Till late Friday night, Mr. Jay was in touch with us. However, he did not turn up this morning,” a top BJD leader, who did not want to be named, said.Mr. Jay’s decision to join the saffron party has unsettled the political equations in Nuapada. The move reportedly upset Basant Panda, former MP and ex-president of the State BJP, as his son Abhinandan Panda was an aspirant for the seat. Party leaders, however, are said to have convinced Mr. Panda of the strategic importance of winning the bypoll and its wider implications for Odisha politics.While both the BJP and the BJD are yet to announce their candidates for the bypoll, the Congress has declared Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate.