Independent Candidate Grabs Paradip ULB Vice Chairperson Position, BJD Cross Voting Suspected

The position of the Vice Chairperson in the Paradip Municipality went to an independent candidate due to a suspected cross voting by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Councillors in the Urban Local Body (ULB).

The elections to the Vice Chairperson position in Paradip ULB, was conducted on Thursday where Chabilata Rout, an independent candidate belonging to the Bapi Sarkhel camp won.

However, it was alleged that Rout won after one of the BJD Councillors resorted to cross voting.

BJD had made Prabhati Nayak as its candidate for vice chairperson, who bagged six votes while Rout bagged 10 votes in her favour making her win the election.

The 19-member Paradip Municipality has eight independent councillors backed by Bapi Sarkhel, seven BJD councillors, three BJP and one Congress councillor.

The fact that Nayak bagged only six votes instead of seven, fanned suspicion of a BJD councillor offering his/her vote to Rout.

The BJD is already sitting comfortably at the Chairman’s position in the Paradip Municipality after winning the recently concluded elections.

The conch party did not deploy its agent during the voting, so it is unclear who among the seven BJD councillors voted for Rout.

BJD MLA Sambit Routray, said "BJD is a disciplined party. There is no requirement of our agent. They (IND) have higher possibility. The Chairman belongs to BJD, let them be happy with the Vice-Chairman."