After Congress, BJP calls to boycott Odisha Assembly Speaker poll due to date clash with Nuakhai

Alleging a step-motherly attitude towards western Odisha, the BJP on Friday declared to boycott the upcoming election for the post of Odisha Assembly Speaker scheduled on the same day as Nuakhai.

“Even as people of Western Odisha celebrate Nuakhai on September 20 and 21 for two days, the Chief Minister has scheduled the Speaker election on Sept 21. So, we will boycott the election,” said BJP MLA Nauri Nayak while addressing the media.

He further stated, “Despite repeated protests to change the scheduled date, the government is adamant to hold the election for Assembly Speaker on September 21, which falls just a day after Nuakhai. So, our party has decided to boycott the election.”

Worth mentioning, the post of Odisha Assembly Speaker has been lying vacant since the resignation of Bikram Keshari Arukha on May 12. The government has decided to hold the election on September 21.

Earlier, the Odisha Congress has announced to boycott the scheduled election and urged the people of Western Odisha to stand up against the alleged step-motherly treatment by the state government.

Nuakhai is an agrarian festival mainly observed by the people of Western Odisha. It is celebrated to welcome the crop of the season.