Controversy Erupts Over Nuapada By-Poll Allegations

The BJD contested the outcomes of the Nuapada by-poll, where they placed third behind the BJP and Congress. Allegations of rigging made against the ruling party were denied by the BJP. BJD's Chhuria claimed voter manipulation, while BJP's Tripathy urged acceptance of the election results.

In a highly contested by-poll in Odisha's Nuapada constituency, the opposition BJD has rejected the results, claiming electoral misconduct. The by-poll, prompted by the death of a sitting BJD MLA, saw BJP's Jay Dholakia emerge victorious as the BJD slipped to third place.

Snehangini Chhuria, the BJD's women's wing chief, accused the BJP of manipulating votes using local administration and law enforcement. She expressed disbelief over unusually high voter turnout figures, highlighting alleged inconsistencies in the ECI's reporting.

BJP's general secretary Biranchi Tripathy dismissed these accusations, urging respect for the electorate's decision while emphasizing that the election was under strict CCTV surveillance, challenging the opposition to reflect and accept the people's verdict.

(With inputs from agencies.)