A heated brother vs brother battle erupts in Nuapada as Avinadan and Harishchandra turn the bypoll into a high-voltage political showdown.

Bhubaneswar, Odisha: The political scene in Nuapada is heating up as the bypoll nears. All major parties have started strong campaigns and are planning ways to reach voters. Meanwhile, top leaders and party candidates go door to door to connect with people as the Nuapada bypoll becomes interesting due to the brother vs brother rivalry. Party workers also hold meetings to build local support. However, amid the growing buzz, Nuapada now faces a family fight that has quickly become the talk of the town.

The bypoll fight has turned personal, as two brothers stand against each other. One is Avinandan Panda, son of former BJP State President Basanta Panda, while the other is Harishchandra Panda, Basanta Panda’s nephew. The tension grew after Harishchandra left the BJP and joined the BJD with several key leaders from Nuapada. The battle of brother vs brother in the Nuapada bypoll intensifies the local political landscape.

Also, those who joined the BJD include Tekram Sahu, General Secretary of the Sarpanch Association and former Deputy Chairman of the District Council, and Umesh Sahis, former Chairman of Nuapada Municipality. Harishchandra, known as a strong local leader with wide election experience, has now become an important face for the BJD in the area, thus adding more layers to the Nuapada’s dramatic brother vs brother bypoll dynamic.

While attacking the BJP, Harishchandra Panda accused party leaders of neglecting local workers. He also opposed the choice of Jay Dholkia as the BJP candidate for the Nuapada bypoll. He further claimed that a secret deal exists between the BJP and Basanta Panda. According to him, Basanta Panda promised a Rajya Sabha seat and a corporation post for his son Avinandan. “This will hurt the party, and local workers will answer in the bypoll,” he warned.

In reply, Avinandan Panda strongly opposed his relative’s claims. He said, “Harishchandra has not made any real effort for the party. We have worked with full commitment for years. Besides, he has changed parties many times from BJP to Shiv Sena, then back to BJP, to BJD, and again to BJP before reembracing BJD.” Such shifts further spotlight the Nuapada bypoll brother vs brother conflict.

Experts believe that the split in the Panda family could affect local voters. The family fight also adds emotion to the bypoll and shapes citizens’ opinions. In the end, it fuels the bigger political contest between BJP and BJD in Odisha.