Nuapada: Turf war over Dholakia’s legacy

PITAMBAR SAHU,OP

Nuapada: The upcoming Nuapada by-election, necessitated by the death of four-time BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, has intensified political activity in the region. With polling set for November 11, major political parties- the BJP, BJD and Congress, along with independents, have launched door-to-door campaigns across villages under the constituency. Initially, it was widely expected that Rajendra’s son, Jay Dholakia, would contest the seat on a BJD ticket.

However, he later joined the BJP and was announced as its candidate. The BJD has, instead of relying on the local leader,s fielded former minister Snehangini Chhuria of Atabira in the constituency. Interestingly, both the BJP and BJD are now invoking Rajendra Dholakia’s legacy. He was a popular leader in the constituency. His photos appear on posters and banners and in meetings of both parties, leaving voters puzzled over which side truly represents his ideals. Political confusion continues to swirl in Nuapada after the BJP began using the image of late Dholakia in its campaign materials.

Since Jay Dholakia joined the BJP and was announced as a candidate, the party’s posters and banners have featured Rajendra’s photograph, a move that raised eyebrows, as most voters still associate him with BJD.

Also Read: Nuapada bypoll: Rajendra Dholakia’s wife lashes out at BJD for ‘betrayal’ jibe

Earlier, Nuapada district administration had instructed the BJD not to use Rajendra’s image for campaign purposes. However, the party objected to the order and continued to use his photos in defiance. During a campaign rally in Komna’s Tarbod, attended by BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, Khariar MLA Adhiraj Panigrahi said Rajendra Dholakia was a lifelong BJD member, never joined the BJP, and had even served as a minister.

A day after Patnaik’s visit, Rajendra’s wife, Kalpana Dholakia, released a video accusing the BJD of neglecting her late husband. She claimed party leaders ignored him during his illness and never inquired about his health condition. Calling the party’s conduct insensitive, she said, “My husband served the BJD for 24 years, and now it’s targeting my son. Using his photo without our consent is morally wrong. Our family alone has the right to decide how his image is used.”