Speaking at a massive rally in Nuapada on Friday, Naveen Patnaik, president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and former Chief Minister of Odisha, launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of betraying the trust of Odisha’s citizens with broken promises.
Campaigning for BJD candidate Snehangini Chhuria in the Nuapada by-election, Patnaik asserted that while the BJP may have “formed a government by lies,” it will never win the hearts of the people of Nuapada.
“They can form a government by telling lies, making false promises, and indulging in candidate ‘chori’ (poaching), but they cannot win the hearts of the people of Nuapada,” Patnaik declared.
Patnaik’s schedule was disrupted when his chartered flight from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar was delayed by around 25 minutes due to traffic‐clearance issues — a delay BJD leaders claimed was deliberate to hamper the roadshows in Komna and Nuapada. BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan, however, clarified the delay resulted from the pilot’s incomplete documentation for clearance.
During his speech, Patnaik alleged the BJP attempted to stop people from attending his earlier rally at Komna on November 3 and thanked the large crowd for turning up despite the attempt.
He paid tribute to the late MLA Rajendra Dholakia—whose passing triggered the by‐poll—and reminded the crowd that Nuapada district was established under the leadership of his father, Biju Patnaik, and had seen significant development under the BJD government.
Taking aim at the BJP government, which has marked 500 days in office, Patnaik asked voters: “Have you received 300 units of free electricity, ₹3,500 pension, fertiliser on time, youth jobs, or loans for Mission Shakti women? What did you get? Only dhoka… dhoka and double dhoka (betrayal and double betrayal).”
He further alleged that under the BJP‐led Ayushman Bharat health scheme people faced “tension instead of treatment,” contrasting this with the BJD’s own Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) that he said delivered better results.
Urging voters to send a “strong reply to betrayal” on 11 November, Patnaik called on them to support Snehangini Chhuria and vote for the Conch symbol.
Amid the emotional tone of the rally, Patnaik’s use of the term “beimani” (betrayal) appeared pointed at Jay Dholakia, son of the late MLA, who defected from the BJD to contest as the BJP candidate.
In response, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and Kalpana Dholakia (the widow of Rajendra Dholakia) held a press conference, saying Patnaik’s remarks had “hurt the sentiments of the bereaved family.” Patra alleged that the BJD had neglected the Dholakia family during the late MLA’s illness and failed to settle his air-ambulance bill despite promising assistance.
The by-poll in Nuapada, scheduled for 11 November, was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia on 8 September.
