November 8th 2025.
In his efforts to secure victory in the Nuapada by-poll, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi turned his attention towards the tribal voters on Saturday. With over 35 percent of the constituency's 2.53 lakh voters belonging to the tribal community, Majhi made it a point to address their needs and concerns. He began his campaign by visiting the Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, where he paid his respects to the presiding deity, Goddess Suna Dei, and shared a meal with a tribal family. This gesture highlighted his understanding of the struggles faced by those living in the hills.
As a tribal himself, Majhi empathized with the difficulties faced by these communities, even after 78 years of Independence. He acknowledged the lack of basic amenities such as clean drinking water, electricity, and roads in their villages and promised to address these issues if elected. Taking a dig at the Opposition, particularly the BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Majhi questioned their track record in improving the lives of the tribal people. He pointed out that Patnaik, who has been in power for 24 years, has failed to understand the language and needs of the tribals, who are unable to communicate in Hindi or English.
During his visit to the Sunabeda area, Majhi also announced plans for the development of the region, including the establishment of a college and the upgrade of the existing government hospital. This was followed by a four-hour-long roadshow from Khariar Road to Nuapada, in an effort to boost the BJP's campaign before it concluded on Sunday. In a public meeting at Nuapada, Majhi confidently declared that the BJD had no future in Odisha's politics.
He urged the people to vote for the BJP, highlighting their "Triple Engine" – a government at the Centre, in the state, and a local MLA. Majhi also took a dig at the BJD, calling it a "sinking boat" and pointing out the recent defection of Jay Dholakia, the son of late BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, who was expected to be the party's candidate in this by-poll. The CM described the BJP candidate as the "suputra" (rightful heir) of Rajendra Dholakia, while the BJD had labeled him as the "kuputra" (illegitimate son) in their earlier statements.
Majhi also criticized Patnaik's close aide, VK Pandian, for his increasing influence in the party. He claimed that elected representatives were being overshadowed and humiliated by this bureaucrat-turned-politician. To further his point, he mentioned the absence of BJD nominee Snehangini Chhuria during Patnaik's recent roadshow, accusing her of being in a separate vehicle instead of joining the party president on the bus. The CM's strong words against the BJD and his promise of development for the tribals resonated with the people, who were now looking towards a better future under the BJP's leadership.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
