Bhubaneswar: The BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s “candidate chori” and “betrayal” jibe targeting the ruling BJP during the election campaign in the Nuapada by-poll snowballed into a major row on Tuesday with late MLA Rajendra Dholakia’s wife Kalpana lashing out at the Opposition party and accusing it of ignoring her husband during his illness.

Dholakia, a four-time Nuapada MLA and former minister, died of renal ailments at a hospital in Chennai on September 8. He was the sitting BJD MLA from the Nuapada seat. His death necessitated the Nuapada by-poll. Dholakia’s son Jay was tipped to become a BJD candidate in the by-poll, but he switched over to the BJP and became its candidate, leaving the regional party red-faced.

The party has to field Snehangini Chhuria as its candidate in the by-poll, voting for which is slated to be held on November 11. While referring to the incident, BJD president Naveen Patnaik, at an election meeting at Komna in Nuapada on Monday, said, “All of you know that the BJD has been betrayed, you and me have been betrayed. Those who indulged in ‘vote chori’ and formed the government have now started ‘candidate chori’. I know that all of you are hurt and angry over this betrayal.” The BJD president also called upon the people to take “revenge” against those who betrayed them by electing the BJD candidate in the by-election.

Referring to her son Jay switching over to the BJP, Kalpana said the only reason was to fulfil the dreams of his father, who wanted to see a developed Nuapada. “Jay joined the BJP to carry forward the development works of Nuapada started by his father. There was no other reason behind his becoming a BJP candidate in the by-poll. No monetary transaction as alleged,” she said in a video message.

She also raised objections to BJD using her husband’s name and picture in the campaign.

“The BJD has no moral right to use the family name and Rajendra Dholakia’s picture on its publicity material in the by-poll. Use of photo of a late leader is totally the family’s discretion,” she said.

Jay Dholakia, at a press conference in Nuapada earlier on the day, also came down heavily on BJD and accused the regional party of neglecting his father Rajendra Dholakia when he was hospitalised and underwent two surgeries in Mumbai and Chennai. “The BJD has projected me as a bad son of my father, which is not acceptable,” he said.

Rejecting Kalpana Dholakia’s allegations, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, “BJD president Naveen Patnaik, despite his own illness (during Rajendra Dholakia’s hospitalisation) was all along enquiring about the health condition of Nuapada MLA. It is wrong to say that the BJD did not stand by its MLA during a difficult time.”

Referring to Patnaik’s “betrayal” jibe, which apparently hurts Jay Dholakia, the BJP candidate in Nuapada, Mohanty said, “Jay Dholakia, days before joining the BJP, claimed to have the blessings of Naveen Patnaik and said he will contest by-poll from Nuapada. Suddenly, he disappears to Gujarat and Mumbai. Then he joins the BJP. Isn’t it a betrayal? We doubt there is a big deal behind this activity or he is under pressure.”