The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Sunday said that it has taken a decision to lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission (EC), alleging “large-scale state-sponsored manipulation” in the recent concluded Nuapada bypoll.
The party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC), chaired by Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik, decided to escalate the matter after an earlier complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) yielded no results.
Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik claimed that the by-election was marred by EVM manipulation and the use of “official machinery and money power,” resulting in votes cast for the BJD being “diverted” to another party.
“Though we had earlier lodged a complaint in this regard with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), there was no result. Therefore, the PAC decided to approach the EC,” Mallik said on Saturday.
Mallik alleged that such rigging was observed in at least 63 polling booths. She accused the victorious BJP of winning by “capturing the votes of BJD through EVM tampering, use of money, muscle and official mechanism.”
“The BJP won the bypoll by capturing the votes of BJD through EVM tampering, use of money, muscle and official mechanism,” she claimed.
Mallik said the party arrived at the conclusion that there were ‘manipulations’ after reviewing the by-election results.
“We will also conduct our own inquiry, expose the EVM manipulation and make the people aware about the BJP’s efforts to kill democracy,” she said.
ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କ ସ୍ବାର୍ଥର ସୁରକ୍ଷା ପାଇଁ ଦବିବ ନାହିଁ ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳର ସ୍ଵର।
ସଭାପତି ଶ୍ରୀ ନବୀନ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ ( @Naveen_Odisha ) ଙ୍କ ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷତାରେ ଦଳର ରାଜନୈତିକ ବ୍ୟାପାର କମିଟିର ବୈଠକ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠିତ ହୋଇଯାଇଛି।
ନୂଆପଡ଼ା ଉପନିର୍ବାଚନରେ ବିଜେପି ଦ୍ଵାରା କରାଯାଇଥିବା ସରକାରୀ କଳର ବ୍ୟାପକ ଦୁରୁପଯୋଗ ସହ ଆଗାମୀ ଦିନରେ ଦଳର… pic.twitter.com/5J1nTT37rV
— Biju Janata Dal (@bjd_odisha) November 22, 2025
The Nuapada bypoll, held on November 11, witnessed a record voter turnout of 83.45 per cent. BJP’s Jay Dholakia won the election by a margin of 83,748 votes while BJD candidate Snehangini Chhuria was pushed to third place. Congress nominee Ghasiram Majhi finished second.
Chhuria, who finished third, pointed to suspicious voter turnout figures. She noted that 41 polling booths recorded over 90% turnout and highlighted the EC’s inconsistent turnout announcements:
“The EC first announced 75 per cent turnout at 5 pm on November 11, later raised it to 77 per cent at 7 pm, then 81 per cent the next morning, and finally revised it to 83.45 per cent. There should be no doubt about manipulations,” she said.
On the other hand, BJP rejected the allegations, stating that people have lost faith in the BJD.
