Nuapada bypolls: Deputy CM Pravati Parida targets BJD candidate, MP Sulata Deo hits back

With campaigns peaking ahead of the Nuapada Assembly by-election, political exchanges have turned intense between leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

While campaigning for BJP candidate Jay Dholakia, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida launched a sharp attack on the BJD for fielding what she described as an “outsider” candidate, triggering a strong response from BJD MP Sulata Deo.

Parida Questions BJD’s Candidate Choice

Addressing a gathering during her election campaign on Saturday, Parida questioned the BJD’s decision to field Snehangini Chhuria from Nuapada, alleging that the ruling party had to “import” a candidate due to a lack of local leadership.

“The BJD couldn’t find a candidate from Nuapada itself, so they brought one from outside. Once the election is over, they will not be seen again. Only Jay Dholakia will stay with you,” Parida said during her speech.

In an apparent jibe referencing local kinship traditions, she remarked, “Does anyone visit their uncle’s house after marriage? A married woman’s bond with her paternal home becomes distant, and her uncle’s home even more so. How can someone with such a distant connection be expected to govern here?”

Parida further asserted that Nuapada needed a ‘double engine government’ to accelerate development, arguing that parties without an engine could not drive progress.

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BJD’s Sulata Deo Responds 

Reacting sharply to Parida’s remarks, BJD MP Sulata Deo condemned the comments as gender-insensitive and unbecoming of a woman leader. “How can you, being a woman, say such things about another woman?” she said.

“You may not maintain good relations with your paternal side or your uncle’s house, but I do, and so do the women listening to me,” she said while defending the BJD candidate. 

Deo emphasised that Snehangini Chhuria had previously served the people of the region and understood their issues well, dismissing the BJP’s claims of her being an outsider.

Triangular Contest In The Offing

According to the Election Commission, a total of 14 candidates are in fray for the Nuapada by-election, after the withdrawal process concluded on Friday. Out of 19 nominations initially filed, five were rejected during scrutiny.

The electoral battle is expected to be triangular, with Jay Dholakia (BJP), Snehangini Chhuria (BJD), and Ghasiram Majhi (Congress) emerging as the key contenders. Polling will be held on November 11, with counting and results scheduled for November 14.