Bhubaneswar: The BJP today fielded Jay Dholakia as its candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the Nuapada Assembly Constituency in Odisha.

Jay, son of late BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, had joined the saffron party on October 11. Ever since, speculations were rife that the BJP would nominate him.

Expressing gratitude for being inducted into the BJP, Jay Dholakia had said he joined the party to help fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and above all, his late father Rajendra Dholakia, for the development of remote regions like Nuapada.

While the Congress has already named Ghasiram Majhi, a prominent tribal leader, as its candidate, the BJD was yet to make its announcement regarding the party's candidate.

The Nuapada Bypoll will take place on November 11, with counting of votes scheduled for November 14.

The deadline for filing nominations is October 20. Scrutiny of papers will be conducted on October 22, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 24.

The bypoll was necessitated after the demise of sitting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Rajendra Dholakia, a former minister and four-time legislator from Nuapada, who died on September 8, 2025, at the age of 69.

In the 2024 Assembly elections, Dholakia had retained the seat with a margin of over 10,000 votes, defeating BJP candidate Abhinandan Panda.