Following the significant defeat in the Nuapada by-election, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is conducting an internal review to determine the reasons for its failure.
Senior BJD leader Bhupinder Singh attributed the loss partly to organizational missteps, criticizing the delay in candidate announcement. Singh stated that the delay caused the party to lose the trust of the late MLA Rajendra Dholakia's family, leading his son, Jay Dholakia, to join the BJP.
Singh also noted the impact of failing to include him in the campaign strategy despite his local influence. Furthermore, he questioned the decision to involve party supremo Naveen Patnaik in the ground campaign, suggesting video conferencing would have been more appropriate.
The campaign was also overshadowed by a viral video showing the Chief Minister struggling to walk, which reportedly generated negative public reaction and severe criticism on social media.