Bhubaneswar: BJP leader Jay Dholakia Thursday took oath as a member of Odisha Legislative Assembly, increasing the ruling saffron party’s strength to 79 in the 147-member House.
Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy administered the oath of office to Dholakia in the presence of senior leaders.
His mother, Kalpana Dholakia, and other family members were also present.
Jay’s swearing-in ceremony coincided with the birthday of his late father and BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, whose demise September 8 necessitated the bypoll in Nuapada.
Jay defeated Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi by a margin of 83,748 votes in the November 11 bypoll.
BJD nominee Snehangini Chhuria finished third, the results of which were declared November 14.
With Dholakia’s induction, the BJP’s tally in the Assembly has risen to 79, while the BJD’s count has come down to 50.
The Congress has 14 MLAs, three are Independents, and one belongs to the CPI(M).
Winning the Nuapada bypoll is seen as an endorsement of the 17-month-old government headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Jay’s victory has also reestablished the Dholakia family’s legacy in Nuapada. His father, Rajendra Dholaki, was elected to the Assembly four times in 2004, 2009, 2019 and 2024.
Though he won the first election in 2004 as an Independent candidate, Rajendra was elected three times on a BJD ticket.
However, Jay switched over to the BJP ahead of the bypoll.
