Campaigning has gained momentum in Nuapada, where the BJD, BJP and Congress have thrown their full weight behind the November 11 bypoll — the first electoral test since the BJP formed the government last year.

While chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das have already visited the western Odisha constituency, former chief minister and leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday released a list of 40 BJD star campaigners for the bypoll.

Headed by Naveen himself, the BJD list features senior leaders Prasanna Acharya, Debi Prasad Mishra, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Niranjan Pujari, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Pratap Deb, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Puspendra Singh Deo, Rohit Pujari and Saroj Kumar Meher. The line-up blends youth and experience and includes several western Odisha heavyweights.

Naveen is expected to lead the party’s campaign in Nuapada.

Prominent women leaders such as former minister Tukuni Sahu, Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo, Lekhashree Samantsinghar, Subasini Jena, Barsa Singh Bariha and Deepali Das also feature on the list — signalling a calibrated strategy to retain the seat, which fell vacant following the demise of party MLA Rajendra Dholakia.

The BJD is keen to hold on to Nuapada not only because it won the seat in 2024, but also because it is crucial to the party’s prospects in western Odisha, a region widely seen as a BJP stronghold.

The BJP, for its part, is pulling out all stops to wrest the seat, evident from its success in inducting the late MLA’s son Jay Dholakia, who was inducted to the saffron party on October 11.

Jay’s defection was a blow to the BJD, but the party quickly regrouped and named former minister Snehangini Chhuria, also from western Odisha, as its candidate. Her nomination seeks to tap both regional sentiment and women’s support, a key pillar of the BJD’s voter base.

“The people will give a befitting reply to the BJP,” a senior leader said.

Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi has already begun his door-to-door campaign. The stakes are high for the Congress too, as a strong performance, if not a victory, could signal a revival for the party, out of power in Odisha since 2000.