The Odisha Congress Monday claimed that it was the ‘real’ opposition party in the state and not the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

The claim was made by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das at a press conference here.

“We lost the Nuapada bypolls due to ‘vote loot’ by the ruling BJP, but emerged as the main rival of the saffron party in the state. Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi was in the second place while the BJD had been pushed to third position,” Das said.

In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the ruling BJP has 79 MLAs, BJD 50, Congress 14, three Independents and CPI(M) one MLA.

In the Nuapada bypoll, BJP candidate Jay Dholakia won the seat by securing over 1.23 lakh votes, while Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi came second with 40,121 votes, and the BJD n

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