Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: As the political temperature rises ahead of the Nuapada Assembly by-election in Odisha , senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and State’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday called for a campaign rooted in facts and development.

Data-Driven Campaign
Speaking to media, Minister Pujari emphasized the need for an issue-based election where parties present concrete data about their contributions to the district.

“There are many issues. I hope the by-election will be an issue-based election,” Pujari said. He also urged all political parties to present concrete data and statistics reflecting their contributions to Nuapada during their respective tenures, allowing voters to make informed decisions.

“We will present our data. Let others do the same. Let the people decide whom to vote for based on facts,” he added.

BJP’s Development Pitch

Highlighting the BJP-led State government’s achievements over the past 1.5 years, Minister Pujari asserted that voters in Nuapada will reward the party for its developmental efforts. He cited initiatives in irrigation, tribal welfare, poverty alleviation, and industrial planning as key factors influencing voter sentiment.

“Nuapada has long suffered from underdevelopment. Our government has initiated real change, including blueprint plans to curb distress migration,” he added.

Also Read: BJD Divided Over Naveen’s Nuapada Campaign Plans

BJD’s Leadership Vacuum!

Minister Pujari questioned BJD’s decision to field an external candidate, implying that the party has failed to develop a second capable leader in Nuapada after the late MLA Rajendra Dholakia over its 24-year tenure. “If BJD had truly invested in grassroots leadership, they wouldn’t need to import candidates from outside,” he said.

The Minister said that any eligible candidate can contest elections, but leadership must be earned through consistent effort. He urged BJD to learn from BJP’s model of leadership building and accept electoral defeat gracefully.

Nuapada Bypoll on Nov 11

The Nuapada bypoll, scheduled for November 11, was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia. BJP has fielded his son Jay Dholakia, while Congress nominated Ghasiram Majhi. BJD fielded former Minister Snehangini Chhuria for the bypoll.

The final voter list includes 2.48 lakh voters and 56 new polling stations for the Nuapada bypoll.

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