Odisha’s Nuapada Bypoll draws political titans: BJP, BJD, Congress deploy heavyweights

Odisha's Nuapada Bypoll

Fact NowOctober 18, 2025

Of these 19 candidates, eight are from various political parties, while the remaining 11 are contesting as independents, said the CEO in a statement.

The quiet town of Nuapada in Odisha is set to become the epicentre of an intense political battle ahead of the November 11 bypoll, with the BJP, BJD and Congress deploying a massive lineup of star campaigners.

The roster includes an unprecedented array of heavyweight leaders, featuring three incumbent Chief Ministers, three former Chief Ministers, and three Union Ministers, all vying to woo the 2.53 lakh voters of the constituency.

The Star Campaigners

Nuapada By-election: BJP star campaigners

Among the star campaigners from the saffron party are Odisha’s BJP CM Mohan Charan Majhi and Chhattisgarh’s BJP CM Vishnu Deo Sai.

The BJP has also listed three Union ministers, including Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram, as part of its star campaigners. Odisha’s two Deputy CMs, KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, will also join the campaign for the BJP candidate.

The campaign trail will also see actor-turned-politicians Sidhant Mahapatra, Anubhav Mohanty and Akash Das Nayak, all previously associated with the BJD, returning to the hustings, this time for the BJP.

Nuapada By-election: BJD star campaigners

Former Odisha chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik will hit the campaign trail for the regional party.

Nuapada By-election: Congress star campaigners

Telangana’s Congress CM A Revanth Reddy and Odisha’s former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang and Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel are among the star campaigners of the national party.

Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Rajasthan’s former deputy CM Sachin Pilot will campaign for Congress as well, besides former JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar and AICC’s state in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu.

The Congress’s list of star campaigners also features the chiefs of the party’s women, youth and student wings — Alka Lamba, Uday Bhanu Chib and Varun Choudhury.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8.

In the three-way contest, the BJP has fielded Jay Dholakia, son of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia. The BJD has nominated its women’s wing president Snehangini Chhuria, while the Congress has fielded veteran leader Ghasiram Majhi.

The campaign is expected to gather full momentum after Diwali and the completion of nominations on October 20. Nuapada has over 2.53 lakh voters.