Bhubaneswar: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has deputed altogether eight ministers, half of the Council of Ministers in Odisha, to spearhead its campaign for Nuapada Assembly bypoll, scheduled to be held on November 11.

The BJP has picked Jay Dholakia, son of deceased Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Rajendra Dholakia, as its candidate for the November 11 bypoll.

Ministers given the charge of one zone each

The ministers have been assigned one zone each in Nuapada to canvass for the ruling party in the by-election.

Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik has been given the charge of Banjari zone while Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallick got the responsibility for BJP campaign in Pataleswar zone.

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Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra will look after BJP campaign in Jayjanga zone while Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena has been assigned the responsibility for Konabhaera zone.

The BJP leadership has asked School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond to spearhead party’s campaign in Yogeswar zone while health Minister Mukesh Mahaling has been given the charge of Nuapada NAC and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohaptra will look after BJP campaign in Khariar Road NAC.

In addition to this, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singhdeo and senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra have been given the overall charge of BJP campaign for the by-election.

Odisha CM, 3 Union Ministers among BJP star campaigners  

Earlier, the ruling party had announced the list of 40 star campaigners for Nuapada bypoll. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai have been made as BJP star campaigners for the by-election.

Also Read: 19 candidates file nominations for Nuapada bypoll in Odisha

The list also includes Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari and MPs Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Baijayant Panda, Sambit Patra, Malvika Devi and Pradeep Purohit.

It is worth mentioning here that the Nuapada Assembly byelection was necessitated due to the demise of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8.

The BJD has fielded former Minister Snehangini Chhuria for the bypoll while Congress has nominated tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate.