The upcoming Nuapada byelection, necessitated by the untimely demise of MLA and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Rajendra Dholakia, has shaped up as a high-stakes political test for the three major parties in Odisha.

For the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it marks the first electoral test since assuming power last year, gauging public response to its governance. On the other hand, the BJD, now in Opposition, faces a prestige fight to prove its organisational strength after losing office. The Congress, meanwhile, sees the contest as a chance to revive its footprint in the coastal state.

While the BJP has fielded Rajendra’s son Jay as its Nuapada candidate, the BJD has picked Snehangini Chhuria, a former legislator, for the contest. The Congress, on the other hand, has chosen Ghasiram Ma

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