Bhubaneswar, Nov 20: Jay Dholakia, the newly elected MLA from Nuapada, took his oath as a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Thursday. Speaker Surama Padhy administered the oath in her chamber.

Dholakia attended the ceremony along with his mother, wife, and several senior BJP leaders.

The BJP candidate achieved a decisive win in the Nuapada by-election, securing 1,23,869 votes and defeating Congress nominee Ghasiram Majhi, who polled 40,121 votes. BJD’s Snehnagini Chhuria came in third with 38,408 votes. His victory margin stood at an impressive 83,748 votes.

Polling for the constituency took place on November 11, with the results declared on November 14.

The bypoll was held following the death of four-time MLA Rajendra Dholakia, Jay Dholakia’s father, on September 8.